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 San Carlos, CA 94070

San Carlos: median income $240,074, home value $2M+*, $1,361/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Redwood City, CA 94062 93%5$233,262$2M+*$1,304 Very close on everything we compare
Menlo Park, CA 94025 90%6$216,601$2M+*$1,558 Very close on everything we compare
Mill Valley, CA 94941 89%31$209,870$2M+*$1,120 lower income ($30K less)
Burlingame, CA 94010 87%7$196,882$2M+*$1,503 lower income ($43K less) · 5 min longer commute
Belmont, CA 94002 85%2$203,965$2M+*$1,256 lower income ($36K less) · more renters
San Mateo, CA 94402 83%5$172,522$2M+*$1,372 lower income ($68K less)
Lafayette, CA 94549 81%29$234,516$2M+*$855 Very close on everything we compare
Los Gatos, CA 95032 81%25$203,727$2M+*$1,206 lower income ($36K less) · more walkable
Cupertino, CA 95014 79%17$230,913$2M+*$1,501 larger · more walkable
San Jose, CA 95129 79%20$195,708$2M+*$1,469 lower income ($44K less) · more walkable
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 78%317$189,713$2M+*$1,150 lower income ($50K less) · older residents
Beverly Hills, CA 90210 77%320$187,801$2M+*$1,334 lower income ($52K less) · smaller · older residents
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 77%330$204,306$2M+*$1,538 lower income ($36K less) · more walkable
Mercer Island, WA 98040 77%695$219,069$2M+*$799 more walkable
Cardiff By The Sea, CA 92007 76%418$182,629$2M+*$1,307 lower income ($57K less) · smaller · newer homes
Corte Madera, CA 94925 76%32$232,763$1,755,200$1,066 cheaper homes ($245K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Sunnyvale, CA 94087 75%16$207,742$2M+*$1,416 lower income ($32K less) · larger · more renters
Fremont, CA 94539 75%19$243,552$1,950,900$1,034 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Belvedere Tiburon, CA 94920 75%29$246,045$2M+*$1,376 smaller · older residents · 5 min longer commute
San Jose, CA 95124 74%25$185,926$1,666,300$1,134 lower income ($54K less) · cheaper homes ($334K less) · larger
Danville, CA 94526 72%27$225,097$1,677,700$789 cheaper homes ($322K less) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Greenwich, CT 06831 71%2,578$227,159$1,696,000$735 cheaper homes ($304K less) · smaller · older residents
Millbrae, CA 94030 71%10$163,476$1,934,900$1,125 lower income ($77K less) · cheaper homes ($65K less)
Los Gatos, CA 95030 71%24$250,000+*$2M+*$1,354 smaller · older residents · more walkable
Cos Cob, CT 06807 70%2,581$192,115$1,443,200$722 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($557K less) · smaller

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or more.”

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