OfferBackedBuyer Tools
Step 1 · Thinking about buying

Where are towns like the one I love?

Enter a town you like, or the one you’re leaving, and find the places most like it: similar incomes, home prices, commute, age of homes and more. Look nearby, in other states or only where homes cost less.

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Towns most like Bellevue, WA 98005

Bellevue: median income $160,849, home value $1,519,500, $613/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Redondo Beach, CA 90278 88%970$160,236$1,242,700$783 cheaper homes ($277K less) · larger
Austin, TX 78703 84%1,761$153,036$1,495,800$565 Very close on everything we compare
Tustin, CA 92782 83%986$146,080$1,149,200$700 cheaper homes ($370K less) · newer homes
Studio City, CA 91604 82%951$141,875$1,700,300$822 pricier homes ($181K more) · 7 min longer commute
Falls Church, VA 22043 81%2,307$145,881$881,600$456 cheaper homes ($638K less)
Los Angeles, CA 90049 81%956$170,607$2M+*$991 pricier homes ($481K more) · larger · older homes
Carlsbad, CA 92011 80%1,034$159,235$1,302,600$770 cheaper homes ($217K less) · older residents · more homeowners
San Mateo, CA 94404 80%695$192,332$1,714,400$916 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($195K more) · larger
Walnut Creek, CA 94596 80%671$135,635$1,277,800$653 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($242K less) · 9 min longer commute
Campbell, CA 95008 80%714$141,131$1,633,600$1,000 pricier homes ($114K more) · larger
San Jose, CA 95131 80%707$170,255$1,164,800$764 cheaper homes ($355K less)
Falls Church, VA 22046 79%2,308$168,882$1,014,700$476 cheaper homes ($505K less) · 5 min longer commute
Milpitas, CA 95035 79%703$178,654$1,253,200$777 cheaper homes ($266K less) · larger
Houston, TX 77024 78%1,877$136,149$1,127,500$414 cheaper homes ($392K less) · larger · older residents
El Segundo, CA 90245 78%966$150,737$1,587,500$1,110 pricier homes ($68K more) · older homes
Irvine, CA 92606 78%988$135,598$1,141,100$788 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($378K less) · more renters
Denver, CO 80209 77%1,015$125,733$1,018,300$513 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($501K less) · older homes
La Jolla, CA 92037 77%1,052$147,230$1,958,700$1,039 pricier homes ($439K more) · larger · older residents
Irvine, CA 92602 77%986$161,620$1,502,000$877 newer homes
Irvine, CA 92604 77%989$133,869$1,058,000$830 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($462K less) · older residents
Los Angeles, CA 90045 76%963$135,032$1,399,100$874 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($120K less) · larger
Los Angeles, CA 90064 76%958$135,383$1,765,300$997 lower income ($25K less) · pricier homes ($246K more) · more walkable
Mountain View, CA 94043 76%705$203,298$1,641,100$1,015 higher income ($42K more) · pricier homes ($122K more) · larger
Dallas, TX 75205 75%1,671$181,631$1,706,700$693 pricier homes ($187K more) · younger residents · newer homes
Sunnyvale, CA 94085 75%707$192,417$1,534,400$906 higher income ($32K more) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or more.”

Similarity compares income, home value, price per sq ft, population, age, commute, education, walkability, owner share, single-family share and age of homes. Click a town to see its housing market. Set your own criteria with the town finder.

Finding towns like the one you love

Maybe you grew up somewhere you loved and want something like it closer to a new job. Maybe the town you want is out of reach and you’re looking for a cheaper version of it. Or you’re moving across the country and want to know which places will feel familiar. This tool starts from a town you know and finds the places most like it.

How we measure similarity

We compare eleven things for every ZIP code: median household income, median home value, price per square foot from recent sales, population, median age, average commute, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree, walkability, the share of homes that are owner-occupied, the share that are single-family homes, and the median year homes were built. Income and home values count most, because they shape what a place costs and feels like day to day.

Each trait is put on the same scale, so a $50,000 difference in home value and a five-minute difference in commute can be compared fairly. The result is a similarity score: towns in the 90s are close matches on nearly everything, and scores in the 70s are similar with a few clear differences. For each match we list the biggest differences, like cheaper homes, a longer commute or more single-family homes.

Where to look

  • Anywhere shows the closest matches nationwide.
  • Same state or other states keeps the search where you need it.
  • Within a distance finds alternatives near a town you’re priced out of.
  • At least a distance away finds the same kind of place somewhere new.

Tick “only towns where homes cost less” to find more affordable versions of the place you like.

What it can’t tell you

Numbers can’t capture everything that makes a place feel like home: a walkable downtown, the schools, the views or the people. Use the matches as a short list, then visit. Click any town to see its housing market, including how competitive it is and how fast homes are selling.