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 Del Mar, CA 92014

Del Mar: median income $198,823, home value $2M+*, $1,248/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 86%105$189,713$2M+*$1,150 larger · 5 min longer commute
Belvedere Tiburon, CA 94920 85%449$246,045$2M+*$1,376 higher income ($47K more) · 8 min longer commute
Mercer Island, WA 98040 84%1,041$219,069$2M+*$799 larger · younger residents
Beverly Hills, CA 90210 82%102$187,801$2M+*$1,334 7 min longer commute
Santa Monica, CA 90402 82%103$159,100$2M+*$1,463 lower income ($40K less) · older homes
Greenbrae, CA 94904 82%455$169,118$2M+*$894 lower income ($30K less) · older homes
Solana Beach, CA 92075 80%2$149,327$2M+*$1,136 lower income ($49K less)
Los Gatos, CA 95032 80%397$203,727$2M+*$1,206 larger · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Mill Valley, CA 94941 79%452$209,870$2M+*$1,120 larger · younger residents · older homes
Los Gatos, CA 95030 79%398$250,000+*$2M+*$1,354 higher income ($51K more) · 7 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Corona Del Mar, CA 92625 78%57$174,904$2M+*$2,122 Very close on everything we compare
Los Altos, CA 94022 78%411$250,000+*$2M+*$1,793 higher income ($51K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Malibu, CA 90265 77%113$196,742$2M+*$1,167 10 min longer commute
Cardiff By The Sea, CA 92007 77%4$182,629$2M+*$1,307 younger residents
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 75%308$184,979$2M+*$847 more single-family homes
Santa Barbara, CA 93108 74%170$230,419$2M+*$1,802 higher income ($32K more) · more single-family homes · less walkable
Newport Coast, CA 92657 73%55$185,042$2M+*$1,653 younger residents · newer homes
Corte Madera, CA 94925 73%453$232,763$1,755,200$1,066 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($245K less) · younger residents
Incline Village, NV 89451 72%460$166,509$1,461,200$763 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($539K less)
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 72%92$204,306$2M+*$1,538 larger · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Laguna Beach, CA 92651 72%50$146,604$2M+*$1,677 lower income ($52K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Redwood City, CA 94065 71%423$215,955$1,811,800$912 cheaper homes ($188K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Saratoga, CA 95070 71%401$250,000+*$2M+*$1,446 higher income ($51K more) · larger · more homeowners
Larkspur, CA 94939 70%454$203,988$2M+*$1,151 smaller · 6 min longer commute · more renters
Charlotte, NC 28207 69%2,078$217,204$1,409,300$595 cheaper homes ($591K less) · younger residents

* 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.

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