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 Morro Bay, CA 93442

Morro Bay: median income $95,623, home value $918,700, $629/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Los Osos, CA 93402 85%4$109,090$806,800$643 cheaper homes ($112K less) · younger residents
Sonoma, CA 95476 85%220$105,374$896,900$609 larger · 6 min longer commute
Novato, CA 94945 84%212$107,790$1,124,100$560 pricier homes ($205K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Healdsburg, CA 95448 84%250$105,120$1,048,300$701 pricier homes ($130K more) · younger residents · less walkable
Solvang, CA 93463 81%63$118,488$1,114,500$639 pricier homes ($196K more) · 7 min longer commute
Ojai, CA 93023 80%111$80,927$911,400$774 larger · less walkable
Pismo Beach, CA 93449 79%19$118,072$1,021,300$777 pricier homes ($103K more) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Greenport, NY 11944 78%2,626$85,298$885,800$535 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller · less walkable
Saint Petersburg, FL 33704 76%2,294$107,889$753,600$451 cheaper homes ($165K less) · younger residents · older homes
Santa Rosa, CA 95409 75%235$107,867$802,000$445 cheaper homes ($117K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Carson City, NV 89703 74%268$85,230$626,500$330 cheaper homes ($292K less) · less walkable
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420 74%26$110,553$917,900$572 larger · younger residents · less walkable
Novato, CA 94947 74%211$128,766$1,017,600$602 higher income ($33K more) · pricier homes ($99K more) · larger
Santa Rosa, CA 95404 74%235$105,437$903,900$522 larger · younger residents · less walkable
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 73%138$119,296$937,000$551 larger · younger residents
Honolulu, HI 96816 73%2,431$114,609$1,168,800$730 pricier homes ($250K more) · larger · younger residents
Edmonds, WA 98020 73%862$130,319$1,031,500$625 higher income ($35K more) · pricier homes ($113K more) · larger
Tacoma, WA 98407 73%827$110,288$656,600$414 cheaper homes ($262K less) · larger · younger residents
Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 72%2,714$115,417$937,100$772 younger residents · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Narragansett, RI 02882 72%2,670$95,721$749,700$555 cheaper homes ($169K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Belmar, NJ 07719 72%2,546$119,828$700,900$488 cheaper homes ($218K less) · larger · younger residents
Boise, ID 83712 72%620$105,574$859,000$416 cheaper homes ($60K less) · younger residents
Calistoga, CA 94515 72%241$94,464$824,900$797 cheaper homes ($94K less) · smaller · younger residents
Sebastopol, CA 95472 72%236$108,925$1,020,100$619 pricier homes ($101K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Fairfield, NJ 07004 71%2,528$115,980$688,500$393 cheaper homes ($230K less) · more homeowners · less walkable

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