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 Mission Viejo, CA 92691

Mission Viejo: median income $141,045, home value $985,100, $674/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Orange, CA 92869 97%14$138,204$994,400$645 Very close on everything we compare
Kaneohe, HI 96744 95%2,582$131,653$1,039,900$690 pricier homes ($55K more)
Newbury Park, CA 91320 94%83$148,991$948,100$507 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Mission Viejo, CA 92692 93%1$131,175$1,037,300$636 pricier homes ($52K more)
Anaheim, CA 92807 93%18$138,741$963,200$610 Very close on everything we compare
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 92%81$119,296$937,000$551 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Poway, CA 92064 92%57$148,673$1,033,100$606 pricier homes ($48K more)
Fullerton, CA 92835 92%24$143,817$1,052,500$603 pricier homes ($67K more) · smaller
Novato, CA 94947 92%415$128,766$1,017,600$602 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller
Edmonds, WA 98026 92%1,012$133,638$821,700$450 cheaper homes ($163K less)
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362 91%78$139,800$1,116,500$566 pricier homes ($131K more)
Huntington Beach, CA 92646 91%18$130,672$1,076,500$786 pricier homes ($91K more)
Cypress, CA 90630 90%26$130,154$909,700$602 cheaper homes ($75K less)
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 90%7$129,457$993,800$697 Very close on everything we compare
Yorba Linda, CA 92886 90%21$153,397$1,116,500$636 pricier homes ($131K more)
Aptos, CA 95003 90%333$148,412$1,198,700$764 pricier homes ($214K more) · smaller
Woodland Hills, CA 91364 89%66$132,854$1,208,200$605 pricier homes ($223K more) · smaller
Laguna Hills, CA 92653 89%3$133,194$1,063,300$666 pricier homes ($78K more) · smaller
Simi Valley, CA 93063 89%76$125,098$816,800$480 cheaper homes ($168K less)
Martinez, CA 94553 89%393$124,130$825,900$473 cheaper homes ($159K less)
San Jose, CA 95121 89%346$150,605$1,051,900$787 pricier homes ($67K more)
Mililani, HI 96789 89%2,593$127,066$920,400$602 cheaper homes ($65K less)
La Mesa, CA 91941 88%70$115,381$928,700$525 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($56K less)
Livermore, CA 94551 88%367$145,392$978,500$644 6 min longer commute
Fountain Valley, CA 92708 87%18$115,237$1,072,300$699 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($87K more) · more renters

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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