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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 Belmont, CA 94002

Belmont: median income $203,965, home value $2M+*, $1,256/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Burlingame, CA 94010 94%5$196,882$2M+*$1,503 larger
San Mateo, CA 94402 93%3$172,522$2M+*$1,372 lower income ($31K less)
Menlo Park, CA 94025 91%8$216,601$2M+*$1,558 5 min shorter commute
San Mateo, CA 94403 89%2$174,917$1,746,300$1,252 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($254K less) · larger
San Jose, CA 95129 88%22$195,708$2M+*$1,469 larger · more walkable
Los Gatos, CA 95032 86%27$203,727$2M+*$1,206 more walkable
San Carlos, CA 94070 85%2$240,074$2M+*$1,361 higher income ($36K more) · more homeowners
Cardiff By The Sea, CA 92007 82%420$182,629$2M+*$1,307 smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Sunnyvale, CA 94087 82%18$207,742$2M+*$1,416 larger · 5 min shorter commute · more walkable
Millbrae, CA 94030 81%8$163,476$1,934,900$1,125 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($65K less)
San Mateo, CA 94404 80%3$192,332$1,714,400$916 cheaper homes ($286K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Cupertino, CA 95014 80%19$230,913$2M+*$1,501 higher income ($27K more) · larger · more walkable
Los Angeles, CA 90049 78%320$170,607$2M+*$991 lower income ($33K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more walkable
Mill Valley, CA 94941 78%29$209,870$2M+*$1,120 older residents · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Greenwich, CT 06830 77%2,580$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($57K less) · cheaper homes ($339K less)
San Francisco, CA 94131 77%18$199,211$1,713,300$1,192 cheaper homes ($287K less) · more apartments and townhomes · more walkable
Santa Clara, CA 95051 77%21$196,690$1,680,600$1,278 cheaper homes ($319K less) · larger · more walkable
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 76%332$204,306$2M+*$1,538 more walkable
Larkspur, CA 94939 76%32$203,988$2M+*$1,151 smaller · older residents · more walkable
Encinitas, CA 92024 75%419$158,507$1,612,000$993 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($388K less) · larger
San Jose, CA 95125 75%27$160,738$1,694,300$1,083 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($306K less) · larger
La Jolla, CA 92037 74%430$147,230$1,958,700$1,039 lower income ($57K less) · cheaper homes ($41K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Redwood City, CA 94061 74%5$146,265$1,900,500$1,263 lower income ($58K less) · cheaper homes ($100K less)
Oakland, CA 94611 74%23$180,549$1,537,700$751 cheaper homes ($462K less) · more walkable
San Jose, CA 95130 74%23$159,556$1,839,600$1,324 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller

* 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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