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 Rafael, CA 94903

San Rafael: median income $142,083, home value $1,197,300, $722/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Edmonds, WA 98020 90%675$130,319$1,031,500$625 cheaper homes ($166K less) · smaller
Miami, FL 33156 87%2,599$137,076$1,120,100$619 cheaper homes ($77K less) · younger residents
Honolulu, HI 96816 87%2,390$114,609$1,168,800$730 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger
Honolulu, HI 96825 83%2,384$153,210$1,088,700$759 cheaper homes ($109K less) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Kailua, HI 96734 81%2,382$132,782$1,367,600$904 pricier homes ($170K more) · larger · younger residents
Kaneohe, HI 96744 79%2,385$131,653$1,039,900$690 cheaper homes ($157K less) · larger · younger residents
Greenwich, CT 06830 78%2,583$146,654$1,660,700$858 pricier homes ($463K more) · younger residents
Belmar, NJ 07719 78%2,573$119,828$700,900$488 cheaper homes ($496K less)
Seattle, WA 98155 78%672$131,540$816,400$460 cheaper homes ($381K less) · younger residents
Burlington, MA 01803 77%2,685$146,436$740,600$441 cheaper homes ($457K less)
Aiea, HI 96701 77%2,392$111,173$941,600$542 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($256K less)
Edmonds, WA 98026 77%677$133,638$821,700$450 cheaper homes ($376K less) · younger residents
Newburyport, MA 01950 76%2,697$139,625$834,000$552 cheaper homes ($363K less) · smaller · older homes
Port Washington, NY 11050 76%2,582$154,225$1,035,400$718 cheaper homes ($162K less) · younger residents · 9 min longer commute
Bedford, MA 01730 75%2,682$172,400$898,500$496 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($299K less) · smaller
Spring Lake, NJ 07762 75%2,575$116,295$927,700$705 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($270K less) · smaller
Bellevue, WA 98008 75%662$184,583$1,206,200$671 higher income ($43K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Natick, MA 01760 74%2,680$138,563$821,300$454 cheaper homes ($376K less) · younger residents
Waltham, MA 02451 74%2,684$122,335$753,000$487 cheaper homes ($444K less) · smaller · younger residents
Mililani, HI 96789 74%2,394$127,066$920,400$602 cheaper homes ($277K less) · larger · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98136 74%657$149,269$925,000$544 cheaper homes ($272K less) · smaller · younger residents
Danvers, MA 01923 73%2,697$125,395$644,200$428 cheaper homes ($553K less)
White Plains, NY 10605 73%2,577$148,982$787,500$459 cheaper homes ($410K less) · smaller · older homes
Kirkland, WA 98034 73%669$135,219$946,300$565 cheaper homes ($251K less) · larger · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98166 73%651$114,969$824,400$420 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($373K less) · younger residents

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.