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 Petaluma, CA 94952

Petaluma: median income $117,343, home value $1,041,100, $656/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Temple City, CA 91780 93%385$103,659$950,300$688 cheaper homes ($91K less)
La Mesa, CA 91941 93%495$115,381$928,700$525 cheaper homes ($112K less)
Torrance, CA 90504 92%387$107,552$923,900$714 cheaper homes ($117K less)
San Gabriel, CA 91775 92%383$118,610$1,092,700$782 pricier homes ($52K more)
Arcadia, CA 91006 91%384$123,533$1,260,000$688 pricier homes ($219K more)
Castro Valley, CA 94546 91%50$128,385$1,043,500$661 Very close on everything we compare
Novato, CA 94947 91%11$128,766$1,017,600$602 Very close on everything we compare
Woodland Hills, CA 91364 90%362$132,854$1,208,200$605 pricier homes ($167K more)
Honolulu, HI 96816 90%2,390$114,609$1,168,800$730 pricier homes ($128K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Los Alamitos, CA 90720 89%401$135,851$1,215,400$740 pricier homes ($174K more)
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 89%350$119,296$937,000$551 cheaper homes ($104K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Glendora, CA 91741 89%390$127,440$946,900$558 cheaper homes ($94K less) · 6 min longer commute
Fountain Valley, CA 92708 89%410$115,237$1,072,300$699 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · more walkable
San Diego, CA 92119 88%492$113,435$879,200$605 cheaper homes ($162K less)
Orange, CA 92867 88%408$130,741$1,015,000$661 cheaper homes ($26K less) · younger residents
Long Beach, CA 90815 87%399$119,716$927,900$744 cheaper homes ($113K less) · younger residents
Santa Ana, CA 92705 87%413$129,331$1,203,400$713 pricier homes ($162K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Concord, CA 94518 87%41$112,094$859,000$522 cheaper homes ($182K less)
Seattle, WA 98166 87%637$114,969$824,400$420 cheaper homes ($217K less) · smaller
Cypress, CA 90630 86%401$130,154$909,700$602 cheaper homes ($131K less)
Santa Rosa, CA 95404 86%14$105,437$903,900$522 cheaper homes ($137K less) · 7 min shorter commute
La Palma, CA 90623 85%399$116,594$979,600$562 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller
Claremont, CA 91711 85%397$126,056$894,300$503 cheaper homes ($147K less)
Fullerton, CA 92833 85%400$114,176$884,100$637 cheaper homes ($157K less) · larger · younger residents
Placentia, CA 92870 85%404$115,929$921,000$604 cheaper homes ($120K less) · larger

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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