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 Huntington Beach, CA 92646

Huntington Beach: median income $130,672, home value $1,076,500, $786/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Rafael, CA 94903 92%397$142,083$1,197,300$722 pricier homes ($121K more) · smaller
Mission Viejo, CA 92691 91%18$141,045$985,100$674 cheaper homes ($91K less)
Fountain Valley, CA 92708 91%3$115,237$1,072,300$699 Very close on everything we compare
Cypress, CA 90630 90%11$130,154$909,700$602 cheaper homes ($167K less) · younger residents
Novato, CA 94947 89%401$128,766$1,017,600$602 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller
Honolulu, HI 96816 89%2,569$114,609$1,168,800$730 pricier homes ($92K more)
Los Alamitos, CA 90720 88%11$135,851$1,215,400$740 pricier homes ($139K more) · smaller
Laguna Hills, CA 92653 88%16$133,194$1,063,300$666 smaller · younger residents
Fullerton, CA 92835 88%17$143,817$1,052,500$603 smaller
Edmonds, WA 98020 88%1,003$130,319$1,031,500$625 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 87%21$129,457$993,800$697 cheaper homes ($83K less) · smaller · less walkable
Mission Viejo, CA 92692 87%19$131,175$1,037,300$636 cheaper homes ($39K less) · newer homes
Orange, CA 92869 87%13$138,204$994,400$645 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller · younger residents
Union City, CA 94587 87%355$133,715$1,104,900$729 pricier homes ($28K more) · 5 min longer commute
Kaneohe, HI 96744 87%2,565$131,653$1,039,900$690 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Miami, FL 33156 86%2,315$137,076$1,120,100$619 pricier homes ($44K more) · smaller · younger residents
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 86%375$142,586$1,076,600$621 smaller · younger residents · more renters
Aptos, CA 95003 86%318$148,412$1,198,700$764 pricier homes ($122K more) · smaller
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 85%64$119,296$937,000$551 cheaper homes ($140K less)
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362 85%61$139,800$1,116,500$566 pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller · less walkable
Woodland Hills, CA 91364 85%50$132,854$1,208,200$605 pricier homes ($132K more) · smaller · younger residents
Huntington Beach, CA 92649 85%6$123,257$1,131,500$810 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller · more renters
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 85%18$140,452$1,190,900$731 pricier homes ($114K more) · newer homes
Cerritos, CA 90703 84%15$134,987$932,400$636 cheaper homes ($144K less) · 6 min longer commute · more single-family homes
San Pedro, CA 90732 84%20$120,807$857,000$483 cheaper homes ($220K less) · smaller

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