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 94304

Palo Alto: median income $154,141, home value $2M+*, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cambridge, MA 02142 75%2,689$147,723$1,954,500$1,396 cheaper homes ($46K less) · younger residents · more renters
Boston, MA 02210 71%2,691$172,124$1,190,900$1,527 cheaper homes ($809K less) · newer homes
Playa Vista, CA 90094 67%319$145,744$1,356,000$885 cheaper homes ($644K less) · larger · 12 min longer commute
Mountain View, CA 94041 67%7$178,558$2M+*$1,250 larger · 5 min longer commute · older homes
New York, NY 10007 65%2,562$250,000+*$2M+*$1,655 higher income ($96K more) · 5 min longer commute
Bellevue, WA 98004 65%704$182,545$2M+*$915 higher income ($28K more) · larger · more homeowners
New York, NY 10282 64%2,561$250,000+*$2M+*$1,209 higher income ($96K more) · 6 min longer commute · more renters
San Francisco, CA 94105 64%27$225,000$1,398,000$1,200 higher income ($71K more) · cheaper homes ($602K less) · larger
Santa Monica, CA 90401 62%314$110,385$1,149,200$1,151 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($851K less) · larger
New York, NY 10018 61%2,562$145,958$1,044,800$1,183 cheaper homes ($955K less) · larger · younger residents
Santa Clara, CA 95054 60%13$207,895$1,493,100$922 higher income ($54K more) · cheaper homes ($507K less) · larger
Seattle, WA 98109 60%705$133,663$1,034,100$649 cheaper homes ($966K less) · larger · younger residents
Sunnyvale, CA 94085 58%10$192,417$1,534,400$906 higher income ($38K more) · cheaper homes ($466K less) · larger
Seattle, WA 98121 58%704$152,019$848,400$575 cheaper homes ($1152K less) · larger · younger residents
New York, NY 10069 57%2,562$233,636$2M+*$1,385 higher income ($79K more) · 10 min longer commute · less walkable
San Francisco, CA 94158 57%26$196,506$1,429,600$1,237 higher income ($42K more) · cheaper homes ($570K less) · larger
New York, NY 10280 56%2,561$206,299$976,300$1,104 higher income ($52K more) · cheaper homes ($1024K less) · larger
Orlando, FL 32814 56%2,425$140,274$754,300$363 cheaper homes ($1246K less) · larger · more homeowners
Arlington, VA 22202 55%2,429$133,762$899,000$453 cheaper homes ($1101K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Houston, TX 77098 55%1,624$116,650$787,300$293 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($1213K less) · larger
Mountain View, CA 94040 55%6$187,781$2M+*$1,570 higher income ($34K more) · larger · more homeowners
San Francisco, CA 94111 54%28$152,697$1,248,900$944 cheaper homes ($751K less) · older residents · 11 min longer commute
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 53%317$146,167$1,272,200$834 cheaper homes ($728K less) · larger · 14 min longer commute
Santa Monica, CA 90403 53%313$121,925$1,548,900$1,021 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($451K less) · larger
Irvine, CA 92606 53%356$135,598$1,141,100$788 cheaper homes ($859K less) · larger · 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.