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 San Jose, CA 95127

San Jose: median income $128,786, home value $1,035,800, $804/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Buena Park, CA 90620 91%324$126,094$840,300$642 cheaper homes ($196K less)
Orange, CA 92867 90%332$130,741$1,015,000$661 Very close on everything we compare
Castro Valley, CA 94546 87%27$128,385$1,043,500$661 Very close on everything we compare
Kaneohe, HI 96744 85%2,410$131,653$1,039,900$690 older residents · more homeowners
Whittier, CA 90604 84%320$105,074$785,200$582 cheaper homes ($251K less)
Lakewood, CA 90712 84%319$122,435$829,600$619 cheaper homes ($206K less) · smaller
San Lorenzo, CA 94580 84%27$110,729$846,700$649 cheaper homes ($189K less) · smaller
San Jose, CA 95121 84%5$150,605$1,051,900$787 smaller · more homeowners · newer homes
Downey, CA 90240 83%314$101,904$815,600$597 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($220K less) · smaller
Carson, CA 90745 83%316$107,988$679,100$593 cheaper homes ($357K less)
Temple City, CA 91780 82%309$103,659$950,300$688 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($86K less) · smaller
South San Francisco, CA 94080 82%39$136,733$1,188,700$848 pricier homes ($153K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Petaluma, CA 94952 82%76$117,343$1,041,100$656 smaller · older residents
Pearl City, HI 96782 82%2,419$108,669$874,200$603 cheaper homes ($162K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Granada Hills, CA 91344 81%283$119,345$904,300$548 cheaper homes ($132K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Orange, CA 92865 81%331$127,431$872,700$571 cheaper homes ($163K less) · smaller
Daly City, CA 94015 81%42$127,056$1,165,500$766 pricier homes ($130K more) · more apartments and townhomes · less walkable
West Covina, CA 91790 80%315$102,927$770,900$522 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($265K less) · 5 min longer commute
Hayward, CA 94545 80%24$114,356$879,400$590 cheaper homes ($156K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Whittier, CA 90603 79%320$136,705$859,000$552 cheaper homes ($177K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Whittier, CA 90605 79%318$99,635$721,400$587 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($314K less)
Santa Ana, CA 92705 79%337$129,331$1,203,400$713 pricier homes ($168K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Torrance, CA 90504 78%311$107,552$923,900$714 cheaper homes ($112K less) · smaller
La Mirada, CA 90638 78%321$109,649$827,300$596 cheaper homes ($209K less) · older residents
Norwalk, CA 90650 78%318$100,085$644,700$614 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($391K 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.

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