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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 Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Laguna Beach: median income $146,604, home value $2M+*, $1,677/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Beverly Hills, CA 90210 90%52$187,801$2M+*$1,334 higher income ($41K more)
Santa Monica, CA 90402 88%54$159,100$2M+*$1,463 smaller
Greenbrae, CA 94904 81%405$169,118$2M+*$894 smaller
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 78%55$189,713$2M+*$1,150 higher income ($43K more) · younger residents · more homeowners
Corona Del Mar, CA 92625 74%7$174,904$2M+*$2,122 higher income ($28K more) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
Malibu, CA 90265 73%65$196,742$2M+*$1,167 higher income ($50K more) · less walkable · newer homes
Carmel, CA 93923 73%312$142,474$1,767,800$1,111 cheaper homes ($232K less) · smaller · older residents
Mill Valley, CA 94941 73%402$209,870$2M+*$1,120 higher income ($63K more) · younger residents
Del Mar, CA 92014 72%50$198,823$2M+*$1,248 higher income ($52K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Burlingame, CA 94010 72%379$196,882$2M+*$1,503 higher income ($50K more) · larger · younger residents
San Mateo, CA 94402 72%377$172,522$2M+*$1,372 higher income ($26K more) · younger residents
San Anselmo, CA 94960 72%408$185,170$1,674,500$991 higher income ($39K more) · cheaper homes ($326K less) · younger residents
Solana Beach, CA 92075 71%48$149,327$2M+*$1,136 smaller · 8 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Millbrae, CA 94030 70%382$163,476$1,934,900$1,125 cheaper homes ($65K less) · younger residents
Los Gatos, CA 95032 70%347$203,727$2M+*$1,206 higher income ($57K more) · younger residents
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 68%43$204,306$2M+*$1,538 higher income ($58K more) · younger residents · more walkable
Encinitas, CA 92024 68%45$158,507$1,612,000$993 cheaper homes ($388K less) · larger · younger residents
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275 67%37$179,469$1,612,000$781 higher income ($33K more) · cheaper homes ($388K less) · larger
Glendale, CA 91208 67%52$136,892$1,421,200$722 cheaper homes ($579K less) · younger residents
Encino, CA 91436 67%58$177,981$2M+*$766 higher income ($31K more) · younger residents
Dana Point, CA 92629 67%7$142,807$1,347,700$1,095 cheaper homes ($652K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Santa Barbara, CA 93105 67%128$138,286$1,663,000$1,110 cheaper homes ($337K less) · younger residents · 10 min shorter commute
Belvedere Tiburon, CA 94920 66%399$246,045$2M+*$1,376 higher income ($99K more) · smaller
San Jose, CA 95129 66%352$195,708$2M+*$1,469 higher income ($49K more) · larger · younger residents
San Jose, CA 95130 66%351$159,556$1,839,600$1,324 cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller · 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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