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 Medina, WA 98039

Medina: median income $250,000+*, home value $2M+*, $1,193/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sullivans Island, SC 29482 77%2,424$192,813$2M+*$1,204 lower income ($57K less) · older residents · less walkable
Los Gatos, CA 95030 72%719$250,000+*$2M+*$1,354 larger · 7 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Los Angeles, CA 90077 71%954$206,319$2M+*$970 lower income ($44K less) · larger · less walkable
Los Altos, CA 94022 70%708$250,000+*$2M+*$1,793 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Los Altos, CA 94024 70%710$250,000+*$2M+*$1,924 larger
Atherton, CA 94027 69%703$250,000+*$2M+*$2,451 larger · less walkable · older homes
Portola Valley, CA 94028 68%709$250,000+*$2M+*$1,573 larger · older residents · less walkable
Alamo, CA 94507 66%675$250,000+*$2M+*$875 larger · 8 min longer commute · more homeowners
Saratoga, CA 95070 66%716$250,000+*$2M+*$1,446 larger
Ross, CA 94957 65%668$250,000+*$2M+*$1,516 younger residents · older homes
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 64%2,407$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 cheaper homes ($211K less) · larger · younger residents
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011 64%949$241,875$2M+*$1,007 larger · 8 min longer commute · older homes
San Marino, CA 91108 64%957$204,847$2M+*$1,113 lower income ($45K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Wellesley, MA 02482 61%2,472$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($648K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Riverside, CT 06878 61%2,406$250,000+*$1,968,800$1,000 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger · younger residents
Alpine, NJ 07620 61%2,393$246,944$2M+*$792 smaller · 10 min longer commute · more homeowners
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274 61%978$215,925$2M+*$961 lower income ($34K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Santa Barbara, CA 93108 61%921$230,419$2M+*$1,802 larger · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Corte Madera, CA 94925 60%671$232,763$1,755,200$1,066 cheaper homes ($245K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 59%958$189,713$2M+*$1,150 lower income ($60K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Weston, MA 02493 58%2,470$250,000+*$1,694,400$578 cheaper homes ($306K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Del Mar, CA 92014 57%1,046$198,823$2M+*$1,248 lower income ($51K less) · larger · older residents
Greenwich, CT 06831 56%2,402$227,159$1,696,000$735 cheaper homes ($304K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Water Mill, NY 11976 56%2,467$180,250$2M+*$943 lower income ($70K less) · more homeowners · less walkable
Belvedere Tiburon, CA 94920 56%673$246,045$2M+*$1,376 larger · 9 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes

* 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.