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 Solana Beach, CA 92075

Solana Beach: median income $149,327, home value $2M+*, $1,136/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
La Jolla, CA 92037 85%10$147,230$1,958,700$1,039 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger · younger residents
Pasadena, CA 91105 84%95$156,791$1,671,000$841 cheaper homes ($329K less) · older homes
Coronado, CA 92118 83%22$134,534$2M+*$1,435 larger · younger residents · more renters
Greenbrae, CA 94904 82%453$169,118$2M+*$894 6 min longer commute · more single-family homes · older homes
Sausalito, CA 94965 82%447$146,946$1,537,800$878 cheaper homes ($462K less) · 7 min longer commute
Newport Beach, CA 92660 81%56$159,564$2M+*$1,315 larger · younger residents · more renters
Incline Village, NV 89451 80%458$166,509$1,461,200$763 cheaper homes ($539K less)
Cardiff By The Sea, CA 92007 80%2$182,629$2M+*$1,307 higher income ($33K more) · younger residents
Del Mar, CA 92014 80%2$198,823$2M+*$1,248 higher income ($49K more)
Corona Del Mar, CA 92625 80%55$174,904$2M+*$2,122 higher income ($26K more)
Santa Monica, CA 90402 78%102$159,100$2M+*$1,463 5 min longer commute · more single-family homes · older homes
Encinitas, CA 92024 76%4$158,507$1,612,000$993 cheaper homes ($388K less) · larger · younger residents
Newport Beach, CA 92663 75%58$141,541$2M+*$1,469 larger · younger residents · more renters
Larkspur, CA 94939 75%452$203,988$2M+*$1,151 higher income ($55K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Los Gatos, CA 95032 75%396$203,727$2M+*$1,206 higher income ($54K more) · larger · younger residents
Park City, UT 84060 74%617$128,295$1,795,000$1,041 cheaper homes ($205K less) · 6 min shorter commute · less walkable
Santa Barbara, CA 93105 74%173$138,286$1,663,000$1,110 cheaper homes ($337K less) · larger · more renters
Los Angeles, CA 90049 73%102$170,607$2M+*$991 larger · younger residents · more renters
Westlake Village, CA 91361 73%121$144,900$1,433,300$676 cheaper homes ($567K less) · larger · less walkable
Irvine, CA 92604 73%57$133,869$1,058,000$830 cheaper homes ($942K less) · larger · younger residents
Dana Point, CA 92629 73%42$142,807$1,347,700$1,095 cheaper homes ($652K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Greenwich, CT 06830 72%2,444$146,654$1,660,700$858 cheaper homes ($339K less) · larger · younger residents
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 71%2,278$181,505$1,575,300$994 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($425K less) · younger residents
Laguna Beach, CA 92651 71%48$146,604$2M+*$1,677 larger · 8 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Carlsbad, CA 92011 70%8$159,235$1,302,600$770 cheaper homes ($697K less) · larger · 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