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 Fremont, CA 94536

Fremont: median income $167,662, home value $1,287,800, $932/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Redondo Beach, CA 90278 92%326$160,236$1,242,700$783 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
Milpitas, CA 95035 89%10$178,654$1,253,200$777 cheaper homes ($35K less) · 5 min shorter commute · newer homes
San Jose, CA 95118 89%22$152,682$1,494,600$1,084 pricier homes ($207K more) · smaller
San Jose, CA 95123 89%24$144,276$1,166,800$788 cheaper homes ($121K less)
San Jose, CA 95125 88%19$160,738$1,694,300$1,083 pricier homes ($407K more) · 5 min shorter commute
San Jose, CA 95131 88%14$170,255$1,164,800$764 cheaper homes ($123K less) · smaller
Fremont, CA 94538 87%3$147,301$1,136,600$894 cheaper homes ($151K less) · more renters
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 86%27$142,586$1,076,600$621 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($211K less) · smaller
San Jose, CA 95136 86%22$142,433$1,144,000$706 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($144K less)
Newark, CA 94560 85%2$169,064$1,142,800$706 cheaper homes ($145K less) · smaller
San Mateo, CA 94403 84%16$174,917$1,746,300$1,252 pricier homes ($459K more) · smaller
Encinitas, CA 92024 83%410$158,507$1,612,000$993 pricier homes ($324K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Kailua, HI 96734 83%2,402$132,782$1,367,600$904 lower income ($35K less) · pricier homes ($80K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Union City, CA 94587 82%3$133,715$1,104,900$729 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($183K less)
Pleasanton, CA 94588 82%10$191,073$1,384,300$779 pricier homes ($97K more) · smaller
Los Angeles, CA 90045 81%320$135,032$1,399,100$874 lower income ($33K less) · pricier homes ($111K more) · smaller
Torrance, CA 90503 81%328$125,912$1,099,700$745 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($188K less) · smaller
Dana Point, CA 92629 81%372$142,807$1,347,700$1,095 pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller · older residents
Campbell, CA 95008 81%20$141,131$1,633,600$1,000 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($346K more) · 8 min shorter commute
Los Alamitos, CA 90720 80%341$135,851$1,215,400$740 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller
Studio City, CA 91604 80%311$141,875$1,700,300$822 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($413K more) · smaller
Livermore, CA 94551 80%18$145,392$978,500$644 cheaper homes ($309K less) · smaller
San Ramon, CA 94583 80%14$184,898$1,383,600$708 pricier homes ($96K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Huntington Beach, CA 92649 79%346$123,257$1,131,500$810 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($156K less) · smaller
Laguna Hills, CA 92653 79%365$133,194$1,063,300$666 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($225K less) · smaller

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