OfferBackedBuyer Tools
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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.

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Towns most like Aliso Viejo, CA 92656

Aliso Viejo: median income $137,639, home value $903,200, $685/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Tustin, CA 92782 92%12$146,080$1,149,200$700 pricier homes ($246K more) · smaller
Bothell, WA 98011 91%1,007$131,667$933,000$486 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 89%9$152,528$906,100$637 Very close on everything we compare
San Diego, CA 92126 85%56$126,913$865,400$643 cheaper homes ($38K less) · more single-family homes
San Diego, CA 92128 84%54$131,077$927,100$597 older residents · more single-family homes
Carlsbad, CA 92010 83%37$129,926$1,103,300$639 pricier homes ($200K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
San Jose, CA 95133 83%351$142,170$1,082,400$673 pricier homes ($179K more) · smaller · more walkable
San Jose, CA 95136 83%346$142,433$1,144,000$706 pricier homes ($241K more) · older homes
Kirkland, WA 98034 83%1,005$135,219$946,300$565 pricier homes ($43K more) · more single-family homes · older homes
San Diego, CA 92124 82%63$120,201$918,500$578 smaller · younger residents · older homes
San Marcos, CA 92078 80%43$120,268$942,300$530 pricier homes ($39K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
San Jose, CA 95131 80%353$170,255$1,164,800$764 higher income ($33K more) · pricier homes ($262K more) · smaller
Issaquah, WA 98029 80%992$170,759$1,063,200$525 higher income ($33K more) · pricier homes ($160K more) · smaller
Milpitas, CA 95035 79%356$178,654$1,253,200$777 higher income ($41K more) · pricier homes ($350K more) · larger
Issaquah, WA 98027 79%988$153,301$996,600$507 pricier homes ($93K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Lake Forest, CA 92630 78%5$125,853$910,300$637 more single-family homes · more walkable · older homes
Falls Church, VA 22043 77%2,269$145,881$881,600$456 smaller · older homes
Redondo Beach, CA 90278 77%43$160,236$1,242,700$783 pricier homes ($340K more) · older homes
San Diego, CA 92123 77%63$132,534$865,600$626 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller · more renters
Irvine, CA 92620 77%9$146,942$1,267,800$801 pricier homes ($365K more) · more single-family homes
Laguna Hills, CA 92653 77%2$133,194$1,063,300$666 pricier homes ($160K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 77%4$140,452$1,190,900$731 pricier homes ($288K more) · older residents · more single-family homes
Walnut Creek, CA 94597 77%387$132,063$1,026,800$597 pricier homes ($124K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Fairfax, VA 22030 76%2,262$139,831$740,400$347 cheaper homes ($163K less)
Carlsbad, CA 92011 76%40$159,235$1,302,600$770 pricier homes ($399K more) · smaller · more single-family homes

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.

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