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 Palo Alto, CA 94301

Palo Alto: median income $242,006, home value $2M+*, $2,050/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mercer Island, WA 98040 59%699$219,069$2M+*$799 more homeowners · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98112 49%704$171,572$1,549,100$681 lower income ($70K less) · cheaper homes ($451K less) · younger residents
Greenwich, CT 06830 45%2,575$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($95K less) · cheaper homes ($339K less) · 6 min longer commute
Seattle, WA 98199 45%705$180,789$1,198,700$629 lower income ($61K less) · cheaper homes ($801K less) · younger residents
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 42%2,578$181,505$1,575,300$994 lower income ($61K less) · cheaper homes ($425K less) · more homeowners
Newton Highlands, MA 02461 41%2,681$224,000$1,255,400$684 cheaper homes ($745K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Kirkland, WA 98033 41%707$182,500$1,491,700$742 lower income ($60K less) · cheaper homes ($508K less) · larger
Newtonville, MA 02460 40%2,681$177,837$1,224,600$588 lower income ($64K less) · cheaper homes ($775K less) · smaller
West Newton, MA 02465 40%2,680$194,265$1,159,200$619 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($841K less) · more homeowners
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 39%2,578$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 cheaper homes ($211K less) · smaller · younger residents
Rye, NY 10580 39%2,573$250,000+*$1,906,900$805 cheaper homes ($93K less) · 17 min longer commute · more homeowners
Alexandria, VA 22301 39%2,427$194,819$1,027,900$616 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($972K less) · younger residents
Bellevue, WA 98008 39%702$184,583$1,206,200$671 lower income ($57K less) · cheaper homes ($794K less) · larger
Cos Cob, CT 06807 38%2,576$192,115$1,443,200$722 lower income ($50K less) · cheaper homes ($557K less) · smaller
Washington, DC 20016 38%2,424$178,920$1,216,000$565 lower income ($63K less) · cheaper homes ($784K less) · larger
Charlotte, NC 28207 38%2,287$217,204$1,409,300$595 cheaper homes ($591K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Belmont, MA 02478 37%2,682$183,137$1,159,000$601 lower income ($59K less) · cheaper homes ($841K less) · larger
Wellesley, MA 02482 37%2,677$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($648K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Washington, DC 20015 37%2,425$250,000+*$1,245,600$557 cheaper homes ($754K less) · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners
Chevy Chase, MD 20815 37%2,424$194,971$1,294,200$480 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($706K less) · larger
Austin, TX 78703 37%1,479$153,036$1,495,800$565 lower income ($89K less) · cheaper homes ($504K less) · younger residents
Auburndale, MA 02466 36%2,679$170,089$1,174,000$561 lower income ($72K less) · cheaper homes ($826K less) · smaller
Lexington, MA 02421 35%2,679$227,813$1,205,700$558 cheaper homes ($794K less) · 10 min longer commute · more homeowners
Newton Center, MA 02459 35%2,683$227,594$1,450,900$586 cheaper homes ($549K less) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Summit, NJ 07901 35%2,541$179,701$987,900$715 lower income ($62K less) · cheaper homes ($1012K less) · 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.