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 Sausalito, CA 94965

Sausalito: median income $146,946, home value $1,537,800, $878/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pasadena, CA 91105 91%353$156,791$1,671,000$841 pricier homes ($133K more)
Redondo Beach, CA 90277 87%361$127,795$1,476,000$890 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger · younger residents
Greenwich, CT 06830 83%2,582$146,654$1,660,700$858 pricier homes ($123K more) · larger · younger residents
Solana Beach, CA 92075 82%447$149,327$2M+*$1,136 pricier homes ($462K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Dana Point, CA 92629 82%405$142,807$1,347,700$1,095 cheaper homes ($190K less) · larger · newer homes
Irvine, CA 92604 81%391$133,869$1,058,000$830 cheaper homes ($480K less) · larger · younger residents
Sierra Madre, CA 91024 79%356$143,547$1,226,800$764 cheaper homes ($311K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Studio City, CA 91604 79%344$141,875$1,700,300$822 pricier homes ($163K more) · larger · younger residents
Larkspur, CA 94939 79%6$203,988$2M+*$1,151 higher income ($57K more) · pricier homes ($462K more) · smaller
Greenbrae, CA 94904 78%6$169,118$2M+*$894 pricier homes ($462K more) · more single-family homes
El Segundo, CA 90245 75%355$150,737$1,587,500$1,110 pricier homes ($50K more) · younger residents · more renters
Playa Del Rey, CA 90293 75%352$134,313$997,600$700 cheaper homes ($540K less) · younger residents
Torrance, CA 90505 75%363$115,593$1,204,300$820 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($334K less) · larger
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 75%341$116,170$1,520,000$728 lower income ($31K less) · larger · younger residents
San Rafael, CA 94903 75%13$142,083$1,197,300$722 cheaper homes ($341K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Beverly Hills, CA 90211 74%349$122,694$2M+*$891 pricier homes ($462K more) · younger residents · more renters
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 74%359$166,442$2M+*$1,247 pricier homes ($462K more) · larger · younger residents
Long Beach, CA 90803 74%374$114,656$1,186,800$724 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($351K less) · larger
Newport Beach, CA 92663 74%389$141,541$2M+*$1,469 pricier homes ($462K more) · larger · younger residents
Redondo Beach, CA 90278 73%359$160,236$1,242,700$783 cheaper homes ($295K less) · larger · younger residents
Glendale, CA 91208 73%348$136,892$1,421,200$722 cheaper homes ($117K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Huntington Beach, CA 92648 73%383$130,164$1,239,500$772 cheaper homes ($298K less) · larger · younger residents
Huntington Beach, CA 92649 73%379$123,257$1,131,500$810 cheaper homes ($406K less) · larger · younger residents
Torrance, CA 90503 72%362$125,912$1,099,700$745 cheaper homes ($438K less) · larger · younger residents
South Pasadena, CA 91030 72%355$127,175$1,640,000$947 pricier homes ($102K more) · larger · younger residents

* 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