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 Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Santa Cruz: median income $108,591, home value $1,207,200, $785/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Diego, CA 92117 94%403$103,661$981,200$819 cheaper homes ($226K less)
San Rafael, CA 94901 91%68$115,330$1,512,600$730 pricier homes ($305K more) · older residents
Burbank, CA 91504 90%289$103,835$1,099,600$749 cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller
Santa Ana, CA 92705 90%333$129,331$1,203,400$713 Very close on everything we compare
Santa Cruz, CA 95062 89%8$112,106$1,076,500$904 cheaper homes ($131K less) · older residents
Costa Mesa, CA 92626 87%331$114,249$1,105,900$835 cheaper homes ($101K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Kailua, HI 96734 87%2,385$132,782$1,367,600$904 pricier homes ($160K more)
Torrance, CA 90503 86%306$125,912$1,099,700$745 cheaper homes ($108K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Monterey, CA 93940 86%35$106,044$1,099,300$725 cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller · older residents
Torrance, CA 90505 85%307$115,593$1,204,300$820 older residents · 5 min longer commute
Carlsbad, CA 92008 85%381$104,995$1,229,400$891 smaller · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
San Diego, CA 92120 85%409$120,661$924,900$654 cheaper homes ($282K less) · more homeowners
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 85%147$96,824$973,000$656 cheaper homes ($234K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
San Jose, CA 95128 85%22$131,152$1,262,600$897 pricier homes ($55K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Los Angeles, CA 90045 84%298$135,032$1,399,100$874 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($192K more)
San Diego, CA 92111 84%405$99,644$817,700$658 cheaper homes ($390K less) · more apartments and townhomes
San Diego, CA 92126 84%400$126,913$865,400$643 cheaper homes ($342K less) · larger · newer homes
Placentia, CA 92870 84%324$115,929$921,000$604 cheaper homes ($286K less) · more homeowners
Phoenix, AZ 85018 83%621$93,885$862,000$517 cheaper homes ($345K less)
Torrance, CA 90504 83%305$107,552$923,900$714 cheaper homes ($283K less) · older residents
Arcadia, CA 91007 83%304$100,705$1,277,900$668 pricier homes ($71K more) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Burbank, CA 91505 83%290$109,953$1,061,200$760 cheaper homes ($146K less) · older homes
San Diego, CA 92107 83%405$113,117$1,379,900$964 pricier homes ($173K more) · smaller · more renters
Fullerton, CA 92833 83%320$114,176$884,100$637 cheaper homes ($323K less) · 7 min longer commute
Honolulu, HI 96816 83%2,393$114,609$1,168,800$730 cheaper homes ($38K less) · older 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.

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