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 Saratoga, CA 95070

Saratoga: median income $250,000+*, home value $2M+*, $1,446/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Greenwich, CT 06831 70%2,571$227,159$1,696,000$735 cheaper homes ($304K less) · smaller · less walkable
Honolulu, HI 96821 67%2,400$174,938$1,563,300$931 lower income ($75K less) · cheaper homes ($437K less) · smaller
Mercer Island, WA 98040 67%711$219,069$2M+*$799 lower income ($31K less) · younger residents · more renters
Medina, WA 98039 66%716$250,000+*$2M+*$1,193 smaller
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 65%622$184,979$2M+*$847 lower income ($65K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Wellesley, MA 02482 64%2,676$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($648K less) · smaller · younger residents
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 64%2,576$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 cheaper homes ($211K less) · smaller · younger residents
Riverside, CT 06878 64%2,575$250,000+*$1,968,800$1,000 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · younger residents
Mc Lean, VA 22101 60%2,417$250,000+*$1,449,900$478 cheaper homes ($550K less)
Lexington, MA 02420 59%2,678$245,031$1,200,300$550 cheaper homes ($800K less) · smaller · younger residents
Weston, MA 02493 59%2,675$250,000+*$1,694,400$578 cheaper homes ($306K less) · smaller · younger residents
Needham, MA 02492 58%2,678$226,645$1,218,800$564 cheaper homes ($781K less) · younger residents
Newton Center, MA 02459 56%2,681$227,594$1,450,900$586 cheaper homes ($549K less) · smaller · younger residents
Bellevue, WA 98006 56%711$198,150$1,388,500$592 lower income ($52K less) · cheaper homes ($612K less) · younger residents
Darien, CT 06820 55%2,580$250,000+*$1,822,400$811 cheaper homes ($178K less) · younger residents · 13 min longer commute
Lexington, MA 02421 54%2,677$227,813$1,205,700$558 cheaper homes ($794K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481 54%2,677$250,000+*$1,694,600$672 cheaper homes ($305K less) · smaller · younger residents
Manhasset, NY 11030 54%2,573$234,966$1,766,500$911 cheaper homes ($234K less) · smaller · younger residents
Arlington, VA 22207 53%2,419$245,745$1,257,900$511 cheaper homes ($742K less) · younger residents
Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 52%2,558$230,611$1,401,600$625 cheaper homes ($598K less) · smaller · 10 min longer commute
Sullivans Island, SC 29482 52%2,387$192,813$2M+*$1,204 lower income ($57K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
New Canaan, CT 06840 51%2,578$250,000+*$1,611,900$654 cheaper homes ($388K less) · smaller · younger residents
Westport, CT 06880 51%2,586$250,000+*$1,402,100$642 cheaper homes ($598K less) · younger residents · 15 min longer commute
Winnetka, IL 60093 51%1,840$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 cheaper homes ($822K less) · smaller · younger residents
Bellevue, WA 98008 51%714$184,583$1,206,200$671 lower income ($65K less) · cheaper homes ($794K 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.