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.

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Towns most like San Rafael, CA 94903

San Rafael: median income $142,083, home value $1,197,300, $722/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Los Alamitos, CA 90720 92%387$135,851$1,215,400$740 younger residents
Huntington Beach, CA 92646 92%397$130,672$1,076,500$786 cheaper homes ($121K less) · larger
Aptos, CA 95003 92%82$148,412$1,198,700$764 Very close on everything we compare
Westlake Village, CA 91361 91%340$144,900$1,433,300$676 pricier homes ($236K more) · smaller
Novato, CA 94947 91%4$128,766$1,017,600$602 cheaper homes ($180K less)
Glendale, CA 91208 90%360$136,892$1,421,200$722 pricier homes ($224K more) · smaller
Edmonds, WA 98020 90%675$130,319$1,031,500$625 cheaper homes ($166K less) · smaller
Fullerton, CA 92835 89%387$143,817$1,052,500$603 cheaper homes ($145K less) · younger residents
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 89%28$142,586$1,076,600$621 cheaper homes ($121K less) · younger residents
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362 88%338$139,800$1,116,500$566 cheaper homes ($81K less) · newer homes
Huntington Beach, CA 92649 88%392$123,257$1,131,500$810 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Laguna Hills, CA 92653 88%411$133,194$1,063,300$666 cheaper homes ($134K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Miami, FL 33156 87%2,599$137,076$1,120,100$619 cheaper homes ($77K less) · younger residents
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 87%415$140,452$1,190,900$731 larger · newer homes
Novato, CA 94949 87%3$120,758$1,150,500$576 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller · newer homes
Honolulu, HI 96816 87%2,390$114,609$1,168,800$730 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger
Pasadena, CA 91107 86%367$126,449$1,155,300$793 cheaper homes ($42K less) · younger residents · older homes
Woodland Hills, CA 91364 86%348$132,854$1,208,200$605 younger residents · more single-family homes
Scotts Valley, CA 95066 86%74$151,250$1,136,400$649 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller · newer homes
Sierra Madre, CA 91024 85%368$143,547$1,226,800$764 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller
Torrance, CA 90505 84%376$115,593$1,204,300$820 lower income ($26K less) · younger residents
Arcadia, CA 91006 84%371$123,533$1,260,000$688 pricier homes ($63K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Irvine, CA 92604 84%403$133,869$1,058,000$830 cheaper homes ($139K less) · younger residents
Dana Point, CA 92629 84%417$142,807$1,347,700$1,095 pricier homes ($150K more) · newer homes
Mission Viejo, CA 92691 84%411$141,045$985,100$674 cheaper homes ($212K less) · younger residents

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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