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 Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Manhattan Beach: median income $204,306, home value $2M+*, $1,538/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mercer Island, WA 98040 79%965$219,069$2M+*$799 Very close on everything we compare
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 64%2,480$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 higher income ($46K more) · cheaper homes ($211K less) · smaller
Kirkland, WA 98033 64%973$182,500$1,491,700$742 cheaper homes ($508K less) · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98199 64%973$180,789$1,198,700$629 cheaper homes ($801K less) · smaller
Bellevue, WA 98008 62%968$184,583$1,206,200$671 cheaper homes ($794K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Rye, NY 10580 60%2,474$250,000+*$1,906,900$805 higher income ($46K more) · cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller
Greenwich, CT 06830 59%2,477$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($58K less) · cheaper homes ($339K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Wellesley, MA 02482 57%2,592$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($648K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Cos Cob, CT 06807 57%2,478$192,115$1,443,200$722 cheaper homes ($557K less) · smaller · less walkable
Summit, NJ 07901 56%2,440$179,701$987,900$715 cheaper homes ($1012K less) · 5 min longer commute · older homes
Seattle, WA 98112 56%971$171,572$1,549,100$681 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($451K less) · older homes
Lexington, MA 02421 55%2,595$227,813$1,205,700$558 cheaper homes ($794K less) · smaller · older residents
Riverside, CT 06878 55%2,479$250,000+*$1,968,800$1,000 higher income ($46K more) · cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Needham Heights, MA 02494 53%2,595$179,720$1,107,700$530 cheaper homes ($892K less) · smaller
Bellevue, WA 98006 53%965$198,150$1,388,500$592 cheaper homes ($612K less) · more homeowners · less walkable
Seattle, WA 98115 53%974$156,142$1,094,600$578 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($905K less) · larger
Greenwich, CT 06831 52%2,475$227,159$1,696,000$735 cheaper homes ($304K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Port Washington, NY 11050 52%2,474$154,225$1,035,400$718 lower income ($50K less) · cheaper homes ($965K less) · 8 min longer commute
Chevy Chase, MD 20815 52%2,304$194,971$1,294,200$480 cheaper homes ($706K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Seattle, WA 98117 52%975$182,984$1,043,500$564 cheaper homes ($957K less) · older homes
Newton Center, MA 02459 50%2,598$227,594$1,450,900$586 cheaper homes ($549K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Newton Highlands, MA 02461 50%2,597$224,000$1,255,400$684 cheaper homes ($745K less) · smaller · older homes
Charlotte, NC 28207 50%2,128$217,204$1,409,300$595 cheaper homes ($591K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Kailua, HI 96734 50%2,540$132,782$1,367,600$904 lower income ($72K less) · cheaper homes ($632K less) · less walkable
Winchester, MA 01890 49%2,599$230,198$1,215,200$534 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($785K less) · more homeowners

* 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.