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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 Malibu, CA 90265

Malibu: median income $196,742, home value $2M+*, $1,167/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Beverly Hills, CA 90210 89%19$187,801$2M+*$1,334 Very close on everything we compare
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 84%12$189,713$2M+*$1,150 more walkable
Danville, CA 94526 82%317$225,097$1,677,700$789 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($322K less) · larger
Belvedere Tiburon, CA 94920 82%338$246,045$2M+*$1,376 higher income ($49K more)
Greenwich, CT 06831 81%2,488$227,159$1,696,000$735 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($304K less) · more single-family homes
Calabasas, CA 91302 79%8$185,636$1,724,500$676 cheaper homes ($276K less) · larger · younger residents
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274 78%28$215,925$2M+*$961 larger · more single-family homes · more walkable
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275 77%29$179,469$1,612,000$781 cheaper homes ($388K less) · larger · more walkable
Del Mar, CA 92014 77%113$198,823$2M+*$1,248 10 min shorter commute
Lafayette, CA 94549 77%326$234,516$2M+*$855 higher income ($38K more) · larger · younger residents
Encino, CA 91436 76%16$177,981$2M+*$766 more single-family homes · older homes
Moraga, CA 94556 76%324$215,720$1,659,600$767 cheaper homes ($340K less) · younger residents
Walnut Creek, CA 94598 76%325$186,225$1,339,900$665 cheaper homes ($660K less) · larger · younger residents
Honolulu, HI 96821 76%2,527$174,938$1,563,300$931 cheaper homes ($437K less) · more single-family homes
Los Angeles, CA 90077 75%17$206,319$2M+*$970 smaller · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 75%316$153,781$1,556,800$812 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($443K less) · younger residents
Greenbrae, CA 94904 75%344$169,118$2M+*$894 lower income ($28K less) · more renters · more walkable
Los Gatos, CA 95030 75%286$250,000+*$2M+*$1,354 higher income ($53K more) · more walkable
Isle Of Palms, SC 29451 74%2,235$156,979$1,581,300$975 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($419K less) · smaller
Newport Coast, CA 92657 74%60$185,042$2M+*$1,653 smaller · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Mill Valley, CA 94941 74%341$209,870$2M+*$1,120 larger · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 73%391$184,979$2M+*$847 12 min shorter commute
Laguna Beach, CA 92651 73%65$146,604$2M+*$1,677 lower income ($50K less) · more walkable · older homes
Santa Barbara, CA 93108 72%57$230,419$2M+*$1,802 higher income ($34K more) · 10 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Redwood City, CA 94062 72%307$233,262$2M+*$1,304 higher income ($37K more) · larger · 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.

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