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 94404

San Mateo: median income $192,332, home value $1,714,400, $916/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 80%2,585$181,505$1,575,300$994 cheaper homes ($139K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Bellevue, WA 98005 80%695$160,849$1,519,500$613 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($195K less) · smaller
Greenwich, CT 06830 76%2,578$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($54K less) · older homes
Redmond, WA 98052 70%699$163,460$1,180,600$620 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($534K less) · larger
Kirkland, WA 98033 69%700$182,500$1,491,700$742 cheaper homes ($223K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more homeowners
New York, NY 10021 66%2,565$158,677$1,377,500$1,262 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($337K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Bellevue, WA 98004 66%695$182,545$2M+*$915 pricier homes ($286K more) · 8 min shorter commute · more renters
Falls Church, VA 22046 65%2,424$168,882$1,014,700$476 cheaper homes ($700K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Issaquah, WA 98029 64%691$170,759$1,063,200$525 cheaper homes ($651K less) · newer homes
Washington, DC 20016 62%2,428$178,920$1,216,000$565 cheaper homes ($498K less) · more homeowners · older homes
Bethesda, MD 20814 62%2,427$150,996$989,600$425 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($725K less) · more walkable
Seattle, WA 98116 62%692$126,151$973,400$612 lower income ($66K less) · cheaper homes ($741K less) · more walkable
New York, NY 10022 61%2,565$172,026$1,108,200$1,092 cheaper homes ($606K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Chevy Chase, MD 20815 61%2,428$194,971$1,294,200$480 cheaper homes ($420K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Mc Lean, VA 22102 61%2,421$153,949$955,500$417 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($759K less) · newer homes
Alexandria, VA 22301 61%2,432$194,819$1,027,900$616 cheaper homes ($687K less) · smaller · more walkable
Austin, TX 78703 61%1,487$153,036$1,495,800$565 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($219K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10028 60%2,565$175,121$1,602,600$1,460 cheaper homes ($112K less) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Harrison, NY 10528 60%2,575$154,416$937,500$598 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($777K less) · smaller
Falls Church, VA 22043 60%2,423$145,881$881,600$456 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($833K less)
Mercer Island, WA 98040 59%691$219,069$2M+*$799 higher income ($27K more) · pricier homes ($286K more) · older residents
Seattle, WA 98199 59%698$180,789$1,198,700$629 cheaper homes ($516K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Cos Cob, CT 06807 58%2,580$192,115$1,443,200$722 cheaper homes ($271K less) · smaller · more homeowners
New York, NY 10065 58%2,565$155,331$1,419,800$1,371 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($295K less) · more renters
Dallas, TX 75205 58%1,471$181,631$1,706,700$693 younger residents · 11 min shorter commute · more walkable

* 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.