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 Watsonville, CA 95076

Watsonville: median income $91,099, home value $808,900, $575/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Escondido, CA 92027 93%372$93,338$691,000$453 cheaper homes ($118K less) · smaller
Spring Valley, CA 91977 92%396$99,657$665,600$527 cheaper homes ($143K less)
Salinas, CA 93906 92%15$97,555$638,500$524 cheaper homes ($170K less)
Sylmar, CA 91342 91%259$98,118$695,600$498 cheaper homes ($113K less)
Vista, CA 92084 91%362$98,577$824,400$470 smaller
San Diego, CA 92154 91%401$94,901$639,200$448 cheaper homes ($170K less)
Baldwin Park, CA 91706 89%288$81,122$609,000$517 cheaper homes ($200K less) · older homes
Pomona, CA 91766 89%300$81,991$599,000$432 cheaper homes ($210K less)
Lemon Grove, CA 91945 89%394$88,016$704,900$540 cheaper homes ($104K less) · smaller
San Diego, CA 92139 89%396$95,653$630,800$507 cheaper homes ($178K less) · smaller
San Jose, CA 95122 89%29$103,549$872,900$747 pricier homes ($64K more) · smaller
Sun Valley, CA 91352 87%266$78,239$764,800$638 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller · older homes
Azusa, CA 91702 87%290$92,683$635,400$494 cheaper homes ($174K less)
Ontario, CA 91762 87%303$83,850$606,000$390 cheaper homes ($203K less)
Oxnard, CA 93033 87%239$87,309$572,300$517 cheaper homes ($237K less)
Santa Paula, CA 93060 86%232$80,979$635,100$416 cheaper homes ($174K less) · smaller
Chula Vista, CA 91910 85%397$90,222$741,200$499 cheaper homes ($68K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Chula Vista, CA 91911 85%399$82,350$636,100$491 cheaper homes ($173K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Vista, CA 92083 85%362$86,974$658,200$528 cheaper homes ($151K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
San Diego, CA 92114 85%394$97,794$649,200$554 cheaper homes ($160K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Riverside, CA 92504 85%320$92,477$562,600$414 cheaper homes ($246K less) · 5 min longer commute
Oxnard, CA 93030 85%236$92,958$688,300$434 cheaper homes ($121K less) · more walkable
Downey, CA 90242 84%290$89,075$761,000$600 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller · older homes
Chino, CA 91710 84%304$103,085$686,500$445 cheaper homes ($122K less) · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners
Lakeside, CA 92040 84%392$107,937$723,200$496 cheaper homes ($86K 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