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 Oceanside, CA 92054

Oceanside: median income $82,408, home value $908,900, $772/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ventura, CA 93001 92%139$88,078$859,100$755 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Burbank, CA 91501 91%87$91,936$1,057,600$612 pricier homes ($149K more) · smaller
La Mesa, CA 91942 91%35$92,896$775,700$582 cheaper homes ($133K less)
Torrance, CA 90501 90%70$92,923$923,100$611 older homes
Glendale, CA 91206 90%83$89,188$1,090,600$686 pricier homes ($182K more) · older residents
Tustin, CA 92780 90%45$101,017$861,700$621 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Alhambra, CA 91801 89%76$89,156$834,000$576 cheaper homes ($75K less) · 5 min longer commute
Buena Park, CA 90621 87%59$97,612$832,000$556 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Northridge, CA 91325 87%97$87,168$944,500$530 pricier homes ($36K more)
Fullerton, CA 92831 87%56$89,278$876,800$631 cheaper homes ($32K less) · younger residents
Honolulu, HI 96817 87%2,601$75,476$916,100$590 older residents
Miami, FL 33138 86%2,279$75,051$784,700$560 cheaper homes ($124K less)
Glendale, CA 91201 86%86$82,301$1,152,000$711 pricier homes ($243K more) · smaller · older homes
Van Nuys, CA 91401 86%91$79,552$1,047,700$680 pricier homes ($139K more) · 8 min longer commute
El Cajon, CA 92020 86%37$76,032$813,100$522 cheaper homes ($96K less) · larger
Huntington Beach, CA 92647 86%51$105,110$1,034,100$811 pricier homes ($125K more) · larger
Van Nuys, CA 91411 85%92$74,617$1,017,900$676 pricier homes ($109K more) · smaller
Imperial Beach, CA 91932 85%46$85,833$856,900$587 cheaper homes ($52K less)
San Diego, CA 92102 85%37$77,248$750,000$688 cheaper homes ($159K less) · older homes
Costa Mesa, CA 92627 85%44$108,994$1,125,600$866 higher income ($27K more) · pricier homes ($217K more) · larger
San Jose, CA 95116 85%382$85,818$860,900$635 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Hawthorne, CA 90250 84%75$78,331$874,600$722 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger
Escondido, CA 92025 84%18$81,106$827,900$479 cheaper homes ($81K less)
San Diego, CA 92111 84%30$99,644$817,700$658 cheaper homes ($91K less) · more homeowners
Anaheim, CA 92806 84%52$97,265$837,900$573 cheaper homes ($71K less) · younger residents

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