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.

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Towns most like Portola Valley, CA 94028

Portola Valley: median income $250,000+*, home value $2M+*, $1,573/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sullivans Island, SC 29482 76%2,398$192,813$2M+*$1,204 lower income ($57K less) · smaller · newer homes
Medina, WA 98039 68%709$250,000+*$2M+*$1,193 smaller · younger residents · more walkable
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 59%635$184,979$2M+*$847 lower income ($65K less) · larger · younger residents
Wilson, WY 83014 55%731$140,473$2M+*$1,274 lower income ($110K less) · smaller · newer homes
Greenwich, CT 06831 54%2,578$227,159$1,696,000$735 cheaper homes ($304K less) · larger · younger residents
Water Mill, NY 11976 54%2,647$180,250$2M+*$943 lower income ($70K less) · smaller · newer homes
Weston, MA 02493 51%2,682$250,000+*$1,694,400$578 cheaper homes ($306K less) · larger · younger residents
Alpine, NJ 07620 48%2,566$246,944$2M+*$792 smaller · younger residents · 14 min longer commute
West Tisbury, MA 02575 47%2,727$173,417$1,306,300— lower income ($77K less) · cheaper homes ($694K less) · smaller
Chilmark, MA 02535 46%2,723$153,966$1,888,000$1,176 lower income ($96K less) · cheaper homes ($112K less) · smaller
Honolulu, HI 96821 46%2,392$174,938$1,563,300$931 lower income ($75K less) · cheaper homes ($437K less) · larger
Isle Of Palms, SC 29451 45%2,400$156,979$1,581,300$975 lower income ($93K less) · cheaper homes ($419K less) · 10 min longer commute
Mercer Island, WA 98040 45%704$219,069$2M+*$799 lower income ($31K less) · larger · younger residents
Wellesley, MA 02482 43%2,683$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($648K less) · larger · younger residents
Lincoln, MA 01773 41%2,680$209,327$1,200,800$484 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($799K less) · 10 min longer commute
Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480 41%2,476$172,500$1,131,800$998 lower income ($78K less) · cheaper homes ($868K less) · smaller
Mantoloking, NJ 08738 40%2,572$250,000+*$1,493,200$1,040 cheaper homes ($507K less) · smaller · 20 min longer commute
Manchester, MA 01944 39%2,706$206,389$942,000$608 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($1058K less) · younger residents
Southampton, NY 11968 38%2,644$156,219$1,326,600$963 lower income ($94K less) · cheaper homes ($673K less) · larger
Waban, MA 02468 37%2,686$250,000+*$1,846,600$619 cheaper homes ($153K less) · younger residents · 10 min longer commute
Needham, MA 02492 37%2,685$226,645$1,218,800$564 cheaper homes ($781K less) · larger · younger residents
Avalon, NJ 08202 37%2,551$146,071$1,857,400$1,427 lower income ($104K less) · cheaper homes ($143K less) · smaller
Sea Girt, NJ 08750 37%2,571$134,167$1,356,700$846 lower income ($116K less) · cheaper homes ($643K less) · smaller
Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724 37%2,592$250,000+*$1,641,000$736 cheaper homes ($359K less) · smaller · younger residents
Mc Lean, VA 22101 37%2,425$250,000+*$1,449,900$478 cheaper homes ($550K less) · 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.