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 Mountain View, CA 94041

Mountain View: median income $178,558, home value $2M+*, $1,250/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bellevue, WA 98004 72%707$182,545$2M+*$915 larger · newer homes
New York, NY 10065 64%2,559$155,331$1,419,800$1,371 cheaper homes ($580K less) · larger · older residents
New York, NY 10007 62%2,557$250,000+*$2M+*$1,655 higher income ($71K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Cambridge, MA 02140 61%2,682$135,286$1,149,800$931 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($850K less) · 8 min longer commute
Bellevue, WA 98005 60%707$160,849$1,519,500$613 cheaper homes ($481K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
New York, NY 10028 59%2,559$175,121$1,602,600$1,460 cheaper homes ($397K less) · larger · older residents
Boston, MA 02114 57%2,686$132,210$924,400$1,148 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($1076K less) · more apartments and townhomes
New York, NY 10016 57%2,558$140,381$905,000$1,232 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($1095K less) · larger
New York, NY 10021 57%2,559$158,677$1,377,500$1,262 cheaper homes ($623K less) · larger · older residents
Seattle, WA 98119 57%708$123,551$1,047,600$594 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($952K less) · larger
New York, NY 10010 56%2,558$144,969$1,036,200$1,985 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($964K less) · larger
New York, NY 10019 56%2,558$128,559$1,061,300$1,244 lower income ($50K less) · cheaper homes ($939K less) · larger
Brooklyn, NY 11201 56%2,558$173,136$1,110,700$1,355 cheaper homes ($889K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Bellevue, WA 98007 56%707$131,109$1,018,100$543 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($982K less) · larger
Cambridge, MA 02141 55%2,685$126,522$868,100$842 lower income ($52K less) · cheaper homes ($1132K less) · more apartments and townhomes
New York, NY 10128 55%2,559$147,772$1,442,000$1,157 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($558K less) · larger
New York, NY 10280 55%2,557$206,299$976,300$1,104 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($1024K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10023 53%2,558$159,874$1,358,100$1,560 cheaper homes ($642K less) · larger · older residents
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 53%2,574$181,505$1,575,300$994 cheaper homes ($425K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Redmond, WA 98052 53%710$163,460$1,180,600$620 cheaper homes ($819K less) · larger · more homeowners
New York, NY 10005 52%2,557$190,233$1,390,600$1,144 cheaper homes ($609K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Dallas, TX 75205 52%1,459$181,631$1,706,700$693 cheaper homes ($293K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Boston, MA 02109 51%2,687$158,843$958,000$1,152 cheaper homes ($1042K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Seattle, WA 98102 51%708$114,925$963,200$617 lower income ($64K less) · cheaper homes ($1037K less) · larger
Seattle, WA 98103 51%711$131,154$1,044,100$570 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($956K less) · larger

* 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.