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 San Jose, CA 95129

San Jose: median income $195,708, home value $2M+*, $1,469/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mercer Island, WA 98040 74%709$219,069$2M+*$799 smaller · older residents
Greenwich, CT 06830 73%2,571$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($339K less) · smaller
Kirkland, WA 98033 68%717$182,500$1,491,700$742 cheaper homes ($508K less) · 5 min shorter commute · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98199 67%715$180,789$1,198,700$629 cheaper homes ($801K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98112 62%713$171,572$1,549,100$681 cheaper homes ($451K less) · smaller · older homes
Bellevue, WA 98005 61%712$160,849$1,519,500$613 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($481K less) · smaller
Bellevue, WA 98008 61%712$184,583$1,206,200$671 cheaper homes ($794K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Kailua, HI 96734 60%2,397$132,782$1,367,600$904 lower income ($63K less) · cheaper homes ($632K less)
Cos Cob, CT 06807 59%2,572$192,115$1,443,200$722 cheaper homes ($557K less) · smaller · less walkable
Summit, NJ 07901 59%2,537$179,701$987,900$715 cheaper homes ($1012K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 59%2,569$181,505$1,575,300$994 cheaper homes ($425K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Seattle, WA 98115 58%717$156,142$1,094,600$578 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($905K less)
Rye, NY 10580 54%2,568$250,000+*$1,906,900$805 higher income ($54K more) · cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller
Port Washington, NY 11050 54%2,570$154,225$1,035,400$718 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($965K less) · 10 min longer commute
Washington, DC 20016 54%2,419$178,920$1,216,000$565 cheaper homes ($784K less) · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Chevy Chase, MD 20815 54%2,419$194,971$1,294,200$480 cheaper homes ($706K less) · older residents
Austin, TX 78703 54%1,469$153,036$1,495,800$565 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($504K less) · smaller
Madison, NJ 07940 53%2,534$172,708$940,900$609 cheaper homes ($1059K less) · smaller · younger residents
Miami, FL 33156 53%2,562$137,076$1,120,100$619 lower income ($59K less) · cheaper homes ($880K less) · more homeowners
Needham Heights, MA 02494 52%2,677$179,720$1,107,700$530 cheaper homes ($892K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Belmont, MA 02478 51%2,678$183,137$1,159,000$601 cheaper homes ($841K less) · smaller · older homes
Incline Village, NV 89451 51%175$166,509$1,461,200$763 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($539K less) · smaller
Auburndale, MA 02466 50%2,675$170,089$1,174,000$561 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($826K less) · smaller
Nantucket, MA 02554 50%2,748$140,938$1,595,700$1,581 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($404K less) · smaller
Falls Church, VA 22046 50%2,415$168,882$1,014,700$476 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($985K less) · smaller

* 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.