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 Monterey, CA 93940

Monterey: median income $106,044, home value $1,099,300, $725/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Santa Cruz, CA 95062 92%28$112,106$1,076,500$904 more homeowners
Costa Mesa, CA 92626 91%299$114,249$1,105,900$835 larger · younger residents
Glendale, CA 91202 90%262$96,459$1,194,700$729 pricier homes ($95K more) · 5 min longer commute
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 90%113$96,824$973,000$656 cheaper homes ($126K less) · younger residents
Carlsbad, CA 92008 87%348$104,995$1,229,400$891 pricier homes ($130K more) · 7 min longer commute
San Rafael, CA 94901 87%103$115,330$1,512,600$730 pricier homes ($413K more)
San Jose, CA 95128 87%51$131,152$1,262,600$897 higher income ($25K more) · pricier homes ($163K more)
San Diego, CA 92107 86%372$113,117$1,379,900$964 pricier homes ($281K more) · younger residents
Santa Cruz, CA 95060 86%35$108,591$1,207,200$785 pricier homes ($108K more) · larger · younger residents
Burbank, CA 91504 85%257$103,835$1,099,600$749 8 min longer commute
San Diego, CA 92111 85%372$99,644$817,700$658 cheaper homes ($282K less)
Honolulu, HI 96822 85%2,399$95,947$1,003,400$551 cheaper homes ($96K less) · more homeowners · more apartments and townhomes
Phoenix, AZ 85018 84%597$93,885$862,000$517 cheaper homes ($237K less) · more homeowners
San Diego, CA 92117 84%370$103,661$981,200$819 cheaper homes ($118K less) · larger · more homeowners
Costa Mesa, CA 92627 84%301$108,994$1,125,600$866 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · younger residents
Torrance, CA 90501 83%276$92,923$923,100$611 cheaper homes ($176K less) · 6 min longer commute
Glendale, CA 91206 83%264$89,188$1,090,600$686 7 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
San Diego, CA 92110 83%373$110,790$1,006,800$631 cheaper homes ($93K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Torrance, CA 90503 82%273$125,912$1,099,700$745 9 min longer commute
Arcadia, CA 91007 82%273$100,705$1,277,900$668 pricier homes ($179K more) · 10 min longer commute
Burbank, CA 91501 82%259$91,936$1,057,600$612 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Burbank, CA 91505 82%258$109,953$1,061,200$760 cheaper homes ($38K less) · older homes
San Diego, CA 92116 82%376$98,154$940,700$925 cheaper homes ($159K less) · younger residents
San Diego, CA 92123 82%374$132,534$865,600$626 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($234K less) · younger residents
Key West, FL 33040 81%2,503$86,586$819,400$824 cheaper homes ($280K less)

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