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 94043

Mountain View: median income $203,298, home value $1,641,100, $1,015/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bellevue, WA 98004 78%705$182,545$2M+*$915 pricier homes ($359K more) · newer homes
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 76%2,574$181,505$1,575,300$994 cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller · older residents
Bellevue, WA 98005 76%705$160,849$1,519,500$613 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($122K less) · smaller
Redmond, WA 98052 71%709$163,460$1,180,600$620 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($461K less) · larger
Dallas, TX 75205 66%1,459$181,631$1,706,700$693 pricier homes ($66K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Kirkland, WA 98033 66%710$182,500$1,491,700$742 cheaper homes ($149K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
New York, NY 10021 64%2,559$158,677$1,377,500$1,262 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($264K less) · older residents
Bellevue, WA 98007 62%706$131,109$1,018,100$543 lower income ($72K less) · cheaper homes ($623K less)
New York, NY 10065 61%2,558$155,331$1,419,800$1,371 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($221K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Austin, TX 78703 61%1,474$153,036$1,495,800$565 lower income ($50K less) · cheaper homes ($145K less) · more single-family homes
Seattle, WA 98119 60%707$123,551$1,047,600$594 lower income ($80K less) · cheaper homes ($594K less)
Greenwich, CT 06830 59%2,572$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($57K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
New York, NY 10028 59%2,559$175,121$1,602,600$1,460 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($39K less) · older residents
Alexandria, VA 22301 59%2,424$194,819$1,027,900$616 cheaper homes ($613K less) · smaller · older homes
Seattle, WA 98103 59%710$131,154$1,044,100$570 lower income ($72K less) · cheaper homes ($597K less) · larger
Brooklyn, NY 11201 57%2,558$173,136$1,110,700$1,355 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($530K less) · larger
New York, NY 10022 56%2,559$172,026$1,108,200$1,092 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($533K less) · older residents
New York, NY 10280 56%2,557$206,299$976,300$1,104 cheaper homes ($665K less) · smaller · older residents
Washington, DC 20007 56%2,422$140,996$1,292,400$727 lower income ($62K less) · cheaper homes ($349K less) · older homes
Alexandria, VA 22314 56%2,425$148,451$899,000$624 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($742K less) · 8 min longer commute
Seattle, WA 98107 56%709$142,662$953,400$553 lower income ($61K less) · cheaper homes ($688K less) · 6 min longer commute
Boston, MA 02127 55%2,687$164,387$863,700$828 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($777K less) · 8 min longer commute
Cambridge, MA 02140 55%2,682$135,286$1,149,800$931 lower income ($68K less) · cheaper homes ($491K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10023 55%2,557$159,874$1,358,100$1,560 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($283K less) · larger
Bethesda, MD 20814 55%2,419$150,996$989,600$425 lower income ($52K less) · cheaper homes ($652K less) · 6 min longer commute

* 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.