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 Jose, CA 95130

San Jose: median income $159,556, home value $1,839,600, $1,324/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Kailua, HI 96734 77%2,397$132,782$1,367,600$904 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($472K less) · larger
Greenwich, CT 06830 71%2,570$146,654$1,660,700$858 cheaper homes ($179K less) · larger · older residents
Nantucket, MA 02554 70%2,747$140,938$1,595,700$1,581 cheaper homes ($244K less) · 10 min shorter commute · newer homes
Bellevue, WA 98008 69%713$184,583$1,206,200$671 higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($633K less) · larger
Cos Cob, CT 06807 67%2,572$192,115$1,443,200$722 higher income ($33K more) · cheaper homes ($396K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98199 64%716$180,789$1,198,700$629 cheaper homes ($641K less) · larger
Miami, FL 33156 63%2,561$137,076$1,120,100$619 cheaper homes ($720K less) · larger
Summit, NJ 07901 62%2,536$179,701$987,900$715 cheaper homes ($852K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Great Neck, NY 11024 60%2,567$175,300$1,667,400$746 cheaper homes ($172K less) · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Mercer Island, WA 98040 60%710$219,069$2M+*$799 higher income ($60K more) · pricier homes ($160K more) · larger
Seattle, WA 98136 60%709$149,269$925,000$544 cheaper homes ($915K less)
Madison, NJ 07940 59%2,533$172,708$940,900$609 cheaper homes ($899K less)
Port Washington, NY 11050 59%2,569$154,225$1,035,400$718 cheaper homes ($804K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Incline Village, NV 89451 59%175$166,509$1,461,200$763 cheaper homes ($378K less) · older residents · 8 min shorter commute
Montauk, NY 11954 58%2,656$142,961$1,356,600$1,185 cheaper homes ($483K less) · smaller · older residents
Honolulu, HI 96816 58%2,405$114,609$1,168,800$730 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($671K less) · larger
Kirkland, WA 98033 58%718$182,500$1,491,700$742 cheaper homes ($348K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Bellevue, WA 98005 57%714$160,849$1,519,500$613 cheaper homes ($320K less) · larger · more renters
Needham Heights, MA 02494 56%2,676$179,720$1,107,700$530 cheaper homes ($732K less)
Honolulu, HI 96821 55%2,403$174,938$1,563,300$931 cheaper homes ($276K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Seattle, WA 98112 55%715$171,572$1,549,100$681 cheaper homes ($291K less) · larger · older homes
Harrison, NY 10528 53%2,566$154,416$937,500$598 cheaper homes ($902K less) · 8 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Honolulu, HI 96825 53%2,399$153,210$1,088,700$759 cheaper homes ($751K less) · larger · older residents
Edmonds, WA 98020 53%727$130,319$1,031,500$625 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($808K less) · older residents
Seattle, WA 98115 53%719$156,142$1,094,600$578 cheaper homes ($745K less) · larger

* 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.