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 Ramon, CA 94582

San Ramon: median income $214,677, home value $1,635,700, $710/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Vienna, VA 22182 71%2,396$205,108$1,125,900$390 cheaper homes ($510K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Redmond, WA 98053 71%683$192,292$1,213,600$615 cheaper homes ($422K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 71%684$172,188$1,155,900$553 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($480K less) · smaller
Sammamish, WA 98074 69%681$244,362$1,366,900$554 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($269K less) · smaller
Bellevue, WA 98006 68%677$198,150$1,388,500$592 cheaper homes ($247K less) · 9 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Hingham, MA 02043 66%2,678$178,390$1,134,200$550 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($502K less) · smaller
Issaquah, WA 98029 66%677$170,759$1,063,200$525 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($573K less) · smaller
Bothell, WA 98021 65%693$183,786$967,700$475 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($668K less) · more single-family homes
Woodinville, WA 98072 65%691$175,805$1,122,200$544 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($514K less) · smaller
Sammamish, WA 98075 65%679$250,000+*$1,599,100$561 higher income ($35K more) · cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Concord, MA 01742 60%2,651$195,125$1,218,100$517 cheaper homes ($418K less) · smaller · older residents
Austin, TX 78746 60%1,468$188,414$1,494,300$557 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($141K less) · smaller
New Canaan, CT 06840 58%2,560$250,000+*$1,611,900$654 higher income ($35K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Park City, UT 84098 58%590$174,119$1,207,200$685 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($429K less) · smaller
Issaquah, WA 98027 58%673$153,301$996,600$507 lower income ($61K less) · cheaper homes ($639K less) · smaller
Kirkland, WA 98033 58%685$182,500$1,491,700$742 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($144K less) · 15 min shorter commute
Snoqualmie, WA 98065 58%675$198,216$956,600$459 cheaper homes ($679K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 57%2,512$192,857$799,900$439 cheaper homes ($836K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Princeton, NJ 08540 57%2,512$176,983$767,900$431 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($868K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Mercer Island, WA 98040 57%677$219,069$2M+*$799 pricier homes ($364K more) · smaller · 13 min shorter commute
Woodbury, NY 11797 56%2,566$192,609$1,007,000$595 cheaper homes ($629K less) · smaller · older residents
Vienna, VA 22181 56%2,396$211,911$998,300$402 cheaper homes ($637K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Hopkinton, MA 01748 55%2,646$222,801$802,700$357 cheaper homes ($833K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Lexington, MA 02421 55%2,658$227,813$1,205,700$558 cheaper homes ($430K less) · smaller · older residents
Mc Lean, VA 22101 55%2,401$250,000+*$1,449,900$478 higher income ($35K more) · cheaper homes ($186K 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.