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 Mercer Island, WA 98040

Mercer Island: median income $219,069, home value $2M+*, $799/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mill Valley, CA 94941 90%668$209,870$2M+*$1,120 Very close on everything we compare
Los Gatos, CA 95032 87%713$203,727$2M+*$1,206 Very close on everything we compare
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 84%953$189,713$2M+*$1,150 lower income ($29K less) · more homeowners
Del Mar, CA 92014 84%1,041$198,823$2M+*$1,248 smaller · older residents
Fremont, CA 94539 82%694$243,552$1,950,900$1,034 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Greenbrae, CA 94904 82%664$169,118$2M+*$894 lower income ($50K less) · smaller
Corte Madera, CA 94925 82%666$232,763$1,755,200$1,066 cheaper homes ($245K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Walnut Creek, CA 94598 81%666$186,225$1,339,900$665 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($660K less) · 6 min longer commute
Dallas, TX 75225 79%1,670$200,234$1,671,900$496 cheaper homes ($328K less) · 5 min shorter commute · newer homes
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 79%965$204,306$2M+*$1,538 Very close on everything we compare
Lafayette, CA 94549 78%668$234,516$2M+*$855 6 min longer commute · less walkable
Belvedere Tiburon, CA 94920 78%669$246,045$2M+*$1,376 higher income ($27K more) · smaller · older residents
Wellesley, MA 02482 77%2,472$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($648K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Charlotte, NC 28207 77%2,278$217,204$1,409,300$595 cheaper homes ($591K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Austin, TX 78746 77%1,759$188,414$1,494,300$557 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($506K less) · less walkable
San Carlos, CA 94070 77%695$240,074$2M+*$1,361 less walkable
Cupertino, CA 95014 77%708$230,913$2M+*$1,501 larger · younger residents
Lexington, MA 02421 76%2,471$227,813$1,205,700$558 cheaper homes ($794K less) · 8 min longer commute
Encino, CA 91436 76%947$177,981$2M+*$766 lower income ($41K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Cardiff By The Sea, CA 92007 76%1,037$182,629$2M+*$1,307 lower income ($36K less) · smaller · younger residents
Oakland, CA 94611 76%671$180,549$1,537,700$751 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($462K less) · larger
Beverly Hills, CA 90210 75%952$187,801$2M+*$1,334 lower income ($31K less) · older residents
Moraga, CA 94556 75%671$215,720$1,659,600$767 cheaper homes ($340K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Pleasanton, CA 94566 75%684$191,155$1,656,900$816 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($343K less) · larger
Los Gatos, CA 95030 75%714$250,000+*$2M+*$1,354 higher income ($31K more) · smaller · older 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.