OfferBackedBuyer Tools
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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 Menlo Park, CA 94025

Menlo Park: median income $216,601, home value $2M+*, $1,558/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sunnyvale, CA 94087 94%10$207,742$2M+*$1,416 Very close on everything we compare
San Jose, CA 95129 94%14$195,708$2M+*$1,469 Very close on everything we compare
Cupertino, CA 95014 92%11$230,913$2M+*$1,501 Very close on everything we compare
Belmont, CA 94002 91%8$203,965$2M+*$1,256 5 min longer commute
Burlingame, CA 94010 91%13$196,882$2M+*$1,503 7 min longer commute
San Carlos, CA 94070 90%6$240,074$2M+*$1,361 Very close on everything we compare
San Mateo, CA 94402 89%11$172,522$2M+*$1,372 lower income ($44K less) · smaller
Los Gatos, CA 95032 87%19$203,727$2M+*$1,206 Very close on everything we compare
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 86%325$204,306$2M+*$1,538 more walkable
Palo Alto, CA 94306 86%4$210,000$2M+*$1,887 more walkable
Mill Valley, CA 94941 84%37$209,870$2M+*$1,120 older residents
Cardiff By The Sea, CA 92007 83%412$182,629$2M+*$1,307 lower income ($34K less) · smaller · newer homes
San Mateo, CA 94403 83%9$174,917$1,746,300$1,252 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($254K less)
Los Angeles, CA 90049 78%312$170,607$2M+*$991 lower income ($46K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Santa Clara, CA 95051 78%13$196,690$1,680,600$1,278 cheaper homes ($319K less) · larger · more renters
Palo Alto, CA 94301 77%2$242,006$2M+*$2,050 higher income ($25K more) · smaller · older residents
Redwood City, CA 94062 74%6$233,262$2M+*$1,304 smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
San Jose, CA 95125 74%19$160,738$1,694,300$1,083 lower income ($56K less) · cheaper homes ($306K less)
San Jose, CA 95124 73%19$185,926$1,666,300$1,134 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($334K less) · more homeowners
San Jose, CA 95130 73%15$159,556$1,839,600$1,324 lower income ($57K less) · cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller
Mercer Island, WA 98040 73%699$219,069$2M+*$799 smaller · older residents
La Jolla, CA 92037 72%422$147,230$1,958,700$1,039 lower income ($69K less) · cheaper homes ($41K less) · newer homes
San Francisco, CA 94131 71%25$199,211$1,713,300$1,192 cheaper homes ($287K less) · 8 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Encinitas, CA 92024 70%411$158,507$1,612,000$993 lower income ($58K less) · cheaper homes ($388K less) · newer homes
Newport Beach, CA 92660 70%358$159,564$2M+*$1,315 lower income ($57K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes

* 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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