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 Mill Valley, CA 94941

Mill Valley: median income $209,870, home value $2M+*, $1,120/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mercer Island, WA 98040 90%668$219,069$2M+*$799 Very close on everything we compare
Bellevue, WA 98008 76%672$184,583$1,206,200$671 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($794K less)
Greenwich, CT 06831 75%2,582$227,159$1,696,000$735 cheaper homes ($304K less) · smaller · less walkable
Wellesley, MA 02482 73%2,684$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($648K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Cos Cob, CT 06807 71%2,585$192,115$1,443,200$722 cheaper homes ($557K less) · smaller · younger residents
Rye, NY 10580 69%2,581$250,000+*$1,906,900$805 higher income ($40K more) · cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller
Bellevue, WA 98006 69%668$198,150$1,388,500$592 cheaper homes ($612K less) · newer homes
Lexington, MA 02421 68%2,686$227,813$1,205,700$558 cheaper homes ($794K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Newton Center, MA 02459 68%2,689$227,594$1,450,900$586 cheaper homes ($549K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 68%2,587$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 higher income ($40K more) · cheaper homes ($211K less) · smaller
Honolulu, HI 96821 68%2,387$174,938$1,563,300$931 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($437K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98199 68%674$180,789$1,198,700$629 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($801K less) · younger residents
Arlington, VA 22207 67%2,434$245,745$1,257,900$511 higher income ($36K more) · cheaper homes ($742K less)
Winchester, MA 01890 65%2,690$230,198$1,215,200$534 cheaper homes ($785K less) · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners
Riverside, CT 06878 65%2,586$250,000+*$1,968,800$1,000 higher income ($40K more) · cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Summit, NJ 07901 65%2,550$179,701$987,900$715 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($1012K less) · 7 min longer commute
Greenwich, CT 06830 64%2,584$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($63K less) · cheaper homes ($339K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Arlington, VA 22205 64%2,434$201,094$1,092,800$542 cheaper homes ($907K less) · smaller
Concord, MA 01742 62%2,678$195,125$1,218,100$517 cheaper homes ($782K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Lexington, MA 02420 62%2,686$245,031$1,200,300$550 higher income ($35K more) · cheaper homes ($800K less) · smaller
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 62%664$184,979$2M+*$847 smaller · older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Seattle, WA 98117 62%677$182,984$1,043,500$564 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($957K less) · younger residents
Needham Heights, MA 02494 61%2,687$179,720$1,107,700$530 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($892K less) · smaller
Bethesda, MD 20816 61%2,434$232,656$1,217,200$495 cheaper homes ($783K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Mc Lean, VA 22101 61%2,431$250,000+*$1,449,900$478 higher income ($40K more) · cheaper homes ($550K less) · more homeowners

* 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.