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 San Carlos, CA 94070

San Carlos: median income $240,074, home value $2M+*, $1,361/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mercer Island, WA 98040 77%695$219,069$2M+*$799 more walkable
Greenwich, CT 06831 71%2,578$227,159$1,696,000$735 cheaper homes ($304K less) · smaller · older residents
Cos Cob, CT 06807 70%2,581$192,115$1,443,200$722 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($557K less) · smaller
Bellevue, WA 98008 63%699$184,583$1,206,200$671 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($794K less) · more walkable
Rye, NY 10580 62%2,577$250,000+*$1,906,900$805 cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller · 15 min longer commute
Wellesley, MA 02482 61%2,682$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($648K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 60%2,583$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 cheaper homes ($211K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Bellevue, WA 98006 60%695$198,150$1,388,500$592 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($612K less) · newer homes
Greenwich, CT 06830 57%2,580$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($93K less) · cheaper homes ($339K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Riverside, CT 06878 57%2,582$250,000+*$1,968,800$1,000 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · 12 min longer commute
Arlington, VA 22207 57%2,428$245,745$1,257,900$511 cheaper homes ($742K less) · more walkable
Honolulu, HI 96821 57%2,392$174,938$1,563,300$931 lower income ($65K less) · cheaper homes ($437K less) · smaller
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 56%640$184,979$2M+*$847 lower income ($55K less) · smaller · older residents
Darien, CT 06820 55%2,586$250,000+*$1,822,400$811 cheaper homes ($178K less) · 14 min longer commute · more homeowners
Summit, NJ 07901 55%2,546$179,701$987,900$715 lower income ($60K less) · cheaper homes ($1012K less) · 9 min longer commute
Winchester, MA 01890 54%2,687$230,198$1,215,200$534 cheaper homes ($785K less) · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners
New Canaan, CT 06840 54%2,585$250,000+*$1,611,900$654 cheaper homes ($388K less) · 13 min longer commute · more homeowners
Incline Village, NV 89451 54%175$166,509$1,461,200$763 lower income ($74K less) · cheaper homes ($539K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98199 54%701$180,789$1,198,700$629 lower income ($59K less) · cheaper homes ($801K less) · more walkable
Newton Center, MA 02459 53%2,687$227,594$1,450,900$586 cheaper homes ($549K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481 53%2,683$250,000+*$1,694,600$672 cheaper homes ($305K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Chatham, NJ 07928 53%2,544$220,982$1,024,100$676 cheaper homes ($976K less) · smaller · 11 min longer commute
Austin, TX 78746 53%1,483$188,414$1,494,300$557 lower income ($52K less) · cheaper homes ($506K less) · newer homes
Concord, MA 01742 52%2,676$195,125$1,218,100$517 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($782K less) · smaller
Lexington, MA 02421 52%2,683$227,813$1,205,700$558 cheaper homes ($794K less) · smaller · older 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.