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 Greenbrae, CA 94904

Greenbrae: median income $169,118, home value $2M+*, $894/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mercer Island, WA 98040 82%664$219,069$2M+*$799 higher income ($50K more) · larger
Greenwich, CT 06830 80%2,582$146,654$1,660,700$858 cheaper homes ($339K less) · larger · younger residents
Cos Cob, CT 06807 74%2,584$192,115$1,443,200$722 cheaper homes ($557K less) · smaller · younger residents
Incline Village, NV 89451 73%166$166,509$1,461,200$763 cheaper homes ($539K less) · 9 min shorter commute · newer homes
Bellevue, WA 98008 70%668$184,583$1,206,200$671 cheaper homes ($794K less) · larger · younger residents
Needham Heights, MA 02494 69%2,686$179,720$1,107,700$530 cheaper homes ($892K less) · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98199 68%670$180,789$1,198,700$629 cheaper homes ($801K less) · larger · younger residents
Chevy Chase, MD 20815 67%2,434$194,971$1,294,200$480 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($706K less) · larger
Greenwich, CT 06831 66%2,580$227,159$1,696,000$735 higher income ($58K more) · cheaper homes ($304K less) · more homeowners
Summit, NJ 07901 66%2,549$179,701$987,900$715 cheaper homes ($1012K less) · larger · younger residents
Edmonds, WA 98020 66%681$130,319$1,031,500$625 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($969K less) · larger
Concord, MA 01742 65%2,677$195,125$1,218,100$517 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($782K less) · 6 min longer commute
Lexington, MA 02421 65%2,684$227,813$1,205,700$558 higher income ($59K more) · cheaper homes ($794K less) · more homeowners
Wellesley, MA 02482 64%2,683$226,250$1,352,500$680 higher income ($57K more) · cheaper homes ($648K less) · younger residents
Miami, FL 33156 64%2,596$137,076$1,120,100$619 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($880K less) · larger
Port Washington, NY 11050 63%2,582$154,225$1,035,400$718 cheaper homes ($965K less) · larger · younger residents
Seattle, WA 98112 63%669$171,572$1,549,100$681 cheaper homes ($451K less) · larger · younger residents
Bedford, MA 01730 62%2,681$172,400$898,500$496 cheaper homes ($1102K less) · younger residents · newer homes
West Newton, MA 02465 62%2,686$194,265$1,159,200$619 higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($841K less) · younger residents
Charlotte, NC 28207 62%2,303$217,204$1,409,300$595 higher income ($48K more) · cheaper homes ($591K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Honolulu, HI 96821 62%2,388$174,938$1,563,300$931 cheaper homes ($437K less) · larger · more homeowners
Spring Lake, NJ 07762 61%2,574$116,295$927,700$705 lower income ($53K less) · cheaper homes ($1072K less) · smaller
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 61%666$184,979$2M+*$847 7 min shorter commute · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Lake Oswego, OR 97034 61%516$149,236$1,047,500$444 cheaper homes ($953K less) · larger · newer homes
Falls Church, VA 22046 60%2,431$168,882$1,014,700$476 cheaper homes ($985K less) · younger residents

* 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.