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 Mountain View, CA 94040

Mountain View: median income $187,781, home value $2M+*, $1,570/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bellevue, WA 98004 72%707$182,545$2M+*$915 newer homes
New York, NY 10065 67%2,560$155,331$1,419,800$1,371 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($580K less) · more apartments and townhomes
New York, NY 10028 66%2,560$175,121$1,602,600$1,460 cheaper homes ($397K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
New York, NY 10021 63%2,560$158,677$1,377,500$1,262 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($623K less) · older residents
New York, NY 10023 62%2,558$159,874$1,358,100$1,560 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($642K less) · larger
Brooklyn, NY 11201 61%2,559$173,136$1,110,700$1,355 cheaper homes ($889K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 60%2,574$181,505$1,575,300$994 cheaper homes ($425K less) · smaller · older residents
New York, NY 10007 59%2,558$250,000+*$2M+*$1,655 higher income ($62K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
New York, NY 10010 58%2,559$144,969$1,036,200$1,985 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($964K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Bellevue, WA 98005 57%707$160,849$1,519,500$613 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($481K less) · smaller
Cambridge, MA 02140 56%2,683$135,286$1,149,800$931 lower income ($52K less) · cheaper homes ($850K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10128 56%2,560$147,772$1,442,000$1,157 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($558K less) · larger
New York, NY 10016 55%2,559$140,381$905,000$1,232 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($1095K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Dallas, TX 75205 54%1,460$181,631$1,706,700$693 cheaper homes ($293K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
New York, NY 10013 53%2,558$161,154$2M+*$2,091 lower income ($27K less) · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
New York, NY 10019 53%2,558$128,559$1,061,300$1,244 lower income ($59K less) · cheaper homes ($939K less) · more renters
New York, NY 10075 53%2,558$155,902$991,900$1,342 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($1008K less) · smaller
Redmond, WA 98052 53%711$163,460$1,180,600$620 cheaper homes ($819K less) · larger · newer homes
New York, NY 10280 52%2,558$206,299$976,300$1,104 cheaper homes ($1024K less) · smaller · older residents
Greenwich, CT 06830 51%2,573$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($339K less) · older residents
New York, NY 10014 51%2,558$176,395$1,284,100$2,268 cheaper homes ($716K less) · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Boston, MA 02114 49%2,687$132,210$924,400$1,148 lower income ($56K less) · cheaper homes ($1076K less) · smaller
Boston, MA 02116 49%2,686$126,496$1,562,500$1,330 lower income ($61K less) · cheaper homes ($438K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10003 49%2,559$154,262$1,123,200$1,776 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($877K less) · larger
New York, NY 10022 49%2,560$172,026$1,108,200$1,092 cheaper homes ($892K less) · older residents · 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.