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 Burlingame, CA 94010

Burlingame: median income $196,882, home value $2M+*, $1,503/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Belmont, CA 94002 94%5$203,965$2M+*$1,256 smaller
San Mateo, CA 94402 94%2$172,522$2M+*$1,372 smaller
Menlo Park, CA 94025 91%13$216,601$2M+*$1,558 7 min shorter commute
San Jose, CA 95129 91%27$195,708$2M+*$1,469 more walkable
San Carlos, CA 94070 87%7$240,074$2M+*$1,361 higher income ($43K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Los Gatos, CA 95032 86%32$203,727$2M+*$1,206 smaller · newer homes
San Mateo, CA 94403 85%4$174,917$1,746,300$1,252 cheaper homes ($254K less)
Mill Valley, CA 94941 85%24$209,870$2M+*$1,120 Very close on everything we compare
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 83%338$204,306$2M+*$1,538 more walkable
Millbrae, CA 94030 82%3$163,476$1,934,900$1,125 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller
Sunnyvale, CA 94087 81%24$207,742$2M+*$1,416 7 min shorter commute · more walkable
Cupertino, CA 95014 80%25$230,913$2M+*$1,501 higher income ($34K more) · 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Beverly Hills, CA 90210 79%327$187,801$2M+*$1,334 smaller · older residents
Redwood City, CA 94062 78%11$233,262$2M+*$1,304 higher income ($36K more) · smaller · more homeowners
San Jose, CA 95125 78%32$160,738$1,694,300$1,083 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($306K less) · more walkable
Oakland, CA 94611 76%21$180,549$1,537,700$751 cheaper homes ($462K less)
San Jose, CA 95124 76%33$185,926$1,666,300$1,134 cheaper homes ($334K less) · more single-family homes · more walkable
San Jose, CA 95130 76%29$159,556$1,839,600$1,324 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller
Greenwich, CT 06830 74%2,583$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($50K less) · cheaper homes ($339K less) · smaller
Cardiff By The Sea, CA 92007 74%425$182,629$2M+*$1,307 smaller · 9 min shorter commute · newer homes
Encinitas, CA 92024 74%424$158,507$1,612,000$993 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($388K less) · newer homes
San Jose, CA 95118 74%34$152,682$1,494,600$1,084 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($505K less)
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 73%325$189,713$2M+*$1,150 smaller · older residents · more homeowners
San Francisco, CA 94131 73%13$199,211$1,713,300$1,192 cheaper homes ($287K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Palo Alto, CA 94306 73%17$210,000$2M+*$1,887 smaller · 8 min shorter commute · more walkable

* 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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