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 Mateo, CA 94402

San Mateo: median income $172,522, home value $2M+*, $1,372/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Greenwich, CT 06830 82%2,581$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($339K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Cos Cob, CT 06807 71%2,583$192,115$1,443,200$722 cheaper homes ($557K less) · smaller
Kailua, HI 96734 71%2,385$132,782$1,367,600$904 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($632K less) · larger
Mercer Island, WA 98040 68%692$219,069$2M+*$799 higher income ($47K more) · older residents · newer homes
Summit, NJ 07901 64%2,548$179,701$987,900$715 cheaper homes ($1012K less) · 7 min longer commute
Bellevue, WA 98008 62%695$184,583$1,206,200$671 cheaper homes ($794K less) · more homeowners · more walkable
Seattle, WA 98199 62%698$180,789$1,198,700$629 cheaper homes ($801K less) · more walkable
Madison, NJ 07940 60%2,545$172,708$940,900$609 cheaper homes ($1059K less) · younger residents
Port Washington, NY 11050 59%2,581$154,225$1,035,400$718 cheaper homes ($965K less) · 10 min longer commute
Bellevue, WA 98005 59%695$160,849$1,519,500$613 cheaper homes ($481K less) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98112 59%696$171,572$1,549,100$681 cheaper homes ($451K less) · more walkable · older homes
Incline Village, NV 89451 57%174$166,509$1,461,200$763 cheaper homes ($539K less) · smaller · older residents
Miami, FL 33156 56%2,582$137,076$1,120,100$619 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($880K less) · more homeowners
Greenwich, CT 06831 55%2,580$227,159$1,696,000$735 higher income ($55K more) · cheaper homes ($304K less) · smaller
Kirkland, WA 98033 55%700$182,500$1,491,700$742 cheaper homes ($508K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Rye, NY 10580 54%2,579$250,000+*$1,906,900$805 higher income ($77K more) · cheaper homes ($93K less) · 13 min longer commute
West Newton, MA 02465 53%2,686$194,265$1,159,200$619 cheaper homes ($841K less) · smaller · more walkable
Auburndale, MA 02466 53%2,685$170,089$1,174,000$561 cheaper homes ($826K less) · smaller · more walkable
Nantucket, MA 02554 52%2,758$140,938$1,595,700$1,581 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($404K less) · smaller
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 52%2,588$181,505$1,575,300$994 cheaper homes ($425K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Seattle, WA 98115 52%700$156,142$1,094,600$578 cheaper homes ($905K less) · larger · more walkable
Belmont, MA 02478 51%2,688$183,137$1,159,000$601 cheaper homes ($841K less) · more walkable · older homes
Needham Heights, MA 02494 51%2,687$179,720$1,107,700$530 cheaper homes ($892K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Honolulu, HI 96816 50%2,392$114,609$1,168,800$730 lower income ($58K less) · cheaper homes ($831K less) · larger
Honolulu, HI 96821 50%2,390$174,938$1,563,300$931 cheaper homes ($437K less) · older residents · 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.