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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 Los Altos, CA 94022

Los Altos: median income $250,000+*, home value $2M+*, $1,793/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Saratoga, CA 95070 92%9$250,000+*$2M+*$1,446 larger
Los Gatos, CA 95030 90%13$250,000+*$2M+*$1,354 smaller
Los Altos, CA 94024 88%3$250,000+*$2M+*$1,924 more single-family homes
Belvedere Tiburon, CA 94920 82%39$246,045$2M+*$1,376 smaller · 6 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 80%306$189,713$2M+*$1,150 lower income ($60K less)
Del Mar, CA 92014 78%411$198,823$2M+*$1,248 lower income ($51K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Fremont, CA 94539 76%14$243,552$1,950,900$1,034 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274 75%327$215,925$2M+*$961 lower income ($34K less) · 5 min longer commute
Santa Barbara, CA 93108 75%247$230,419$2M+*$1,802 smaller · older residents · less walkable
Mill Valley, CA 94941 75%42$209,870$2M+*$1,120 lower income ($40K less) · larger · more renters
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 72%319$204,306$2M+*$1,538 lower income ($46K less) · larger · younger residents
Atherton, CA 94027 72%7$250,000+*$2M+*$2,451 smaller · more single-family homes · less walkable
Corte Madera, CA 94925 72%43$232,763$1,755,200$1,066 cheaper homes ($245K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
San Carlos, CA 94070 70%11$240,074$2M+*$1,361 larger · younger residents · more renters
San Jose, CA 95120 70%19$250,000+*$2M+*$983 larger · 9 min longer commute
Medina, WA 98039 70%708$250,000+*$2M+*$1,193 smaller · more single-family homes
Beverly Hills, CA 90210 69%309$187,801$2M+*$1,334 lower income ($62K less)
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011 69%310$241,875$2M+*$1,007 5 min longer commute · more single-family homes · older homes
Redwood City, CA 94062 69%10$233,262$2M+*$1,304 less walkable · older homes
Lafayette, CA 94549 69%36$234,516$2M+*$855 5 min longer commute · less walkable
Mercer Island, WA 98040 69%703$219,069$2M+*$799 lower income ($31K less) · more renters
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 68%2,578$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 cheaper homes ($211K less) · smaller · younger residents
Los Angeles, CA 90077 67%306$206,319$2M+*$970 lower income ($44K less) · smaller · less walkable
Portola Valley, CA 94028 66%5$250,000+*$2M+*$1,573 smaller · older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Alamo, CA 94507 66%33$250,000+*$2M+*$875 more single-family homes · less 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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