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.

Reset

Towns most like Walnut Creek, CA 94597

Walnut Creek: median income $132,063, home value $1,026,800, $597/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Seattle, WA 98116 93%667$126,151$973,400$612 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Harrison, NY 10528 81%2,556$154,416$937,500$598 cheaper homes ($89K less) · smaller · older homes
Fairfax, VA 22031 81%2,403$134,577$723,600$356 cheaper homes ($303K less) · larger
Miami, FL 33133 80%2,572$103,420$1,022,400$923 lower income ($29K less) · larger
Bellevue, WA 98007 80%670$131,109$1,018,100$543 younger residents · 9 min shorter commute
Bothell, WA 98011 80%679$131,667$933,000$486 cheaper homes ($94K less) · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
Plainsboro, NJ 08536 79%2,521$137,607$704,100$404 cheaper homes ($323K less)
Falls Church, VA 22043 79%2,406$145,881$881,600$456 cheaper homes ($145K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Mc Lean, VA 22102 79%2,403$153,949$955,500$417 cheaper homes ($71K less)
Secaucus, NJ 07094 78%2,540$139,821$571,900$352 cheaper homes ($455K less)
Bethesda, MD 20814 77%2,409$150,996$989,600$425 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Rockville, MD 20852 77%2,407$122,472$665,200$359 cheaper homes ($362K less) · larger
Seattle, WA 98144 77%668$96,969$901,700$489 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($125K less) · more walkable
Rockville, MD 20850 76%2,404$125,950$714,400$331 cheaper homes ($312K less) · larger · newer homes
Alexandria, VA 22302 76%2,412$123,539$631,100$441 cheaper homes ($396K less) · older homes
Seattle, WA 98119 76%672$123,551$1,047,600$594 younger residents · 8 min shorter commute · more walkable
Seattle, WA 98125 76%677$99,868$874,300$489 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($153K less) · larger
Waltham, MA 02452 75%2,663$118,431$808,300$429 cheaper homes ($219K less) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Miami Beach, FL 33140 75%2,574$107,063$866,900$623 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($160K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Bellevue, WA 98005 75%670$160,849$1,519,500$613 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($493K more) · 10 min shorter commute
Nyack, NY 10960 74%2,543$125,789$681,000$440 cheaper homes ($346K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Miami, FL 33129 74%2,573$113,367$736,300$632 cheaper homes ($291K less) · smaller · older residents
Kirkland, WA 98034 74%677$135,219$946,300$565 cheaper homes ($81K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Seattle, WA 98107 74%674$142,662$953,400$553 cheaper homes ($73K less) · more walkable · newer homes
Quincy, MA 02171 73%2,674$106,885$662,900$512 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($364K less) · older homes

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.