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 Castro Valley, CA 94552

Castro Valley: median income $212,605, home value $1,394,300, $764/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Colts Neck, NJ 07722 82%2,545$198,994$917,200$474 cheaper homes ($477K less)
Woodinville, WA 98077 81%694$184,306$1,206,400$546 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($188K less) · younger residents
Warren, NJ 07059 80%2,523$212,479$921,500$440 cheaper homes ($473K less)
Saddle River, NJ 07458 80%2,538$244,022$1,188,500$501 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($206K less)
Southampton, NY 11968 79%2,627$156,219$1,326,600$963 lower income ($56K less) · cheaper homes ($68K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Greenwich, CT 06831 78%2,561$227,159$1,696,000$735 pricier homes ($302K more) · 6 min shorter commute · more renters
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 78%2,533$236,023$1,265,000$456 cheaper homes ($129K less)
Redmond, WA 98053 78%686$192,292$1,213,600$615 cheaper homes ($181K less) · larger · younger residents
Duxbury, MA 02332 75%2,697$176,583$874,600$459 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($520K less) · older homes
Honolulu, HI 96821 75%2,408$174,938$1,563,300$931 lower income ($38K less) · pricier homes ($169K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Far Hills, NJ 07931 74%2,515$201,078$1,165,700$477 cheaper homes ($229K less) · smaller
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 74%687$172,188$1,155,900$553 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($238K less) · larger
Armonk, NY 10504 73%2,558$250,000+*$1,243,100$531 higher income ($37K more) · cheaper homes ($151K less) · smaller
North Bend, WA 98045 73%675$175,765$938,500$494 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($456K less) · younger residents
Cohasset, MA 02025 72%2,689$199,306$1,318,900$546 cheaper homes ($75K less) · smaller · younger residents
Westwood, MA 02090 72%2,670$223,125$1,041,500$493 cheaper homes ($353K less) · younger residents · older homes
Holmdel, NJ 07733 72%2,544$166,849$843,300$413 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($551K less)
Woodbury, NY 11797 72%2,574$192,609$1,007,000$595 cheaper homes ($387K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33332 71%2,548$172,730$909,000$395 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($485K less)
Sammamish, WA 98075 71%682$250,000+*$1,599,100$561 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($205K more) · larger
Glen Head, NY 11545 70%2,566$182,528$1,101,100$601 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($293K less) · older homes
Wyckoff, NJ 07481 69%2,536$203,988$925,700$502 cheaper homes ($469K less) · more walkable · older homes
Bellevue, WA 98006 69%680$198,150$1,388,500$592 larger · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Carnation, WA 98014 69%686$164,306$940,600$446 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($454K less) · smaller
Fall City, WA 98024 69%681$160,641$1,107,100$473 lower income ($52K less) · cheaper homes ($287K 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.