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 94403

San Mateo: median income $174,917, home value $1,746,300, $1,252/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Greenwich, CT 06830 84%2,580$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($86K less) · smaller
Kailua, HI 96734 75%2,386$132,782$1,367,600$904 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($379K less) · more single-family homes
Bellevue, WA 98005 72%696$160,849$1,519,500$613 cheaper homes ($227K less) · smaller · newer homes
Kirkland, WA 98033 64%701$182,500$1,491,700$742 cheaper homes ($255K less) · 5 min shorter commute · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98199 62%699$180,789$1,198,700$629 cheaper homes ($548K less) · smaller · more walkable
Summit, NJ 07901 61%2,547$179,701$987,900$715 cheaper homes ($758K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 61%2,587$181,505$1,575,300$994 cheaper homes ($171K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Cos Cob, CT 06807 60%2,582$192,115$1,443,200$722 cheaper homes ($303K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Harrison, NY 10528 60%2,577$154,416$937,500$598 cheaper homes ($809K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Miami, FL 33156 59%2,580$137,076$1,120,100$619 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($626K less) · more homeowners
Kirkland, WA 98034 59%703$135,219$946,300$565 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($800K less) · newer homes
Madison, NJ 07940 58%2,543$172,708$940,900$609 cheaper homes ($805K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Mercer Island, WA 98040 58%692$219,069$2M+*$799 higher income ($44K more) · pricier homes ($254K more) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98116 58%693$126,151$973,400$612 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($773K less) · smaller
Port Washington, NY 11050 57%2,579$154,225$1,035,400$718 cheaper homes ($711K less) · 10 min longer commute · more homeowners
Bellevue, WA 98008 57%696$184,583$1,206,200$671 cheaper homes ($540K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Miami, FL 33133 56%2,582$103,420$1,022,400$923 lower income ($71K less) · cheaper homes ($724K less) · more walkable
Seattle, WA 98112 56%697$171,572$1,549,100$681 cheaper homes ($197K less) · smaller · more walkable
Seattle, WA 98115 56%701$156,142$1,094,600$578 cheaper homes ($652K less) · more walkable
Honolulu, HI 96816 55%2,394$114,609$1,168,800$730 lower income ($60K less) · cheaper homes ($578K less) · older residents
Redmond, WA 98052 55%700$163,460$1,180,600$620 cheaper homes ($566K less) · larger · newer homes
Falls Church, VA 22046 54%2,426$168,882$1,014,700$476 cheaper homes ($732K less) · smaller
Auburndale, MA 02466 53%2,684$170,089$1,174,000$561 cheaper homes ($572K less) · smaller · older homes
Incline Village, NV 89451 53%174$166,509$1,461,200$763 cheaper homes ($285K less) · smaller · older residents
Falls Church, VA 22043 52%2,425$145,881$881,600$456 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($865K less) · smaller

* 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.