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.

Reset

Towns most like El Monte, CA 91731

El Monte: median income $62,215, home value $635,600, $501/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Los Angeles, CA 90061 96%17$61,046$601,500$457 cheaper homes ($34K less)
South El Monte, CA 91733 94%2$68,278$621,800$479 Very close on everything we compare
North Hollywood, CA 91605 93%23$65,481$793,600$571 pricier homes ($158K more) · larger
Inglewood, CA 90303 92%20$72,815$793,500$535 pricier homes ($158K more)
Whittier, CA 90602 92%8$68,505$766,300$557 pricier homes ($131K more)
Wilmington, CA 90744 92%24$60,847$631,500$556 larger
National City, CA 91950 92%111$66,426$612,200$498 larger
Maywood, CA 90270 91%11$61,165$634,400$467 Very close on everything we compare
Los Angeles, CA 90059 90%16$56,152$583,900$489 cheaper homes ($52K less) · younger residents
Hawaiian Gardens, CA 90716 90%17$76,410$569,400$488 cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller
El Monte, CA 91732 90%1$75,108$644,200$469 larger
San Diego, CA 92113 90%109$61,819$614,300$501 larger
Oakland, CA 94621 90%344$52,049$543,700$431 cheaper homes ($92K less)
Los Angeles, CA 90022 89%8$67,967$629,500$472 larger · older homes
Paramount, CA 90723 89%15$75,250$533,700$510 cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger
Inglewood, CA 90304 87%21$64,125$732,300$724 pricier homes ($97K more) · more renters
Bellflower, CA 90706 87%14$78,722$705,700$561 pricier homes ($70K more) · larger
Long Beach, CA 90805 87%17$73,415$606,000$536 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
Miami, FL 33161 86%2,321$58,325$441,700$405 cheaper homes ($194K less) · larger
Huntington Park, CA 90255 86%12$64,766$579,700$473 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger
Long Beach, CA 90806 86%21$79,208$769,200$571 pricier homes ($134K more) · larger · older homes
Panorama City, CA 91402 86%26$57,369$624,300$492 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Riverside, CA 92501 86%39$81,886$509,300$410 cheaper homes ($126K less)
Garden Grove, CA 92843 86%22$81,446$747,000$596 pricier homes ($111K more) · larger
Vallejo, CA 94590 86%364$65,290$530,500$347 cheaper homes ($105K less)

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.

From OfferBacked · Free

Get matched with a local agent.

Buying or selling around Columbus, OH? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.

Get matched