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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 Atherton, CA 94027

Atherton: median income $250,000+*, home value $2M+*, $2,451/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Los Altos, CA 94024 88%9$250,000+*$2M+*$1,924 larger
Portola Valley, CA 94028 79%6$250,000+*$2M+*$1,573 older residents · 5 min shorter commute
Santa Barbara, CA 93108 78%254$230,419$2M+*$1,802 larger · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Los Altos, CA 94022 72%7$250,000+*$2M+*$1,793 larger · more apartments and townhomes · more walkable
Saratoga, CA 95070 72%16$250,000+*$2M+*$1,446 larger · more walkable
Medina, WA 98039 69%703$250,000+*$2M+*$1,193 smaller · more walkable · newer homes
Ross, CA 94957 67%40$250,000+*$2M+*$1,516 smaller · younger residents · more walkable
Los Angeles, CA 90077 66%312$206,319$2M+*$970 lower income ($44K less)
Los Gatos, CA 95030 66%20$250,000+*$2M+*$1,354 larger · 5 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011 63%316$241,875$2M+*$1,007 larger · 6 min longer commute
Redwood City, CA 94062 61%6$233,262$2M+*$1,304 larger · younger residents · more renters
Sullivans Island, SC 29482 60%2,396$192,813$2M+*$1,204 lower income ($57K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
San Marino, CA 91108 59%325$204,847$2M+*$1,113 lower income ($45K less) · larger · more walkable
Alamo, CA 94507 58%29$250,000+*$2M+*$875 larger · 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274 55%333$215,925$2M+*$961 lower income ($34K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 54%313$189,713$2M+*$1,150 lower income ($60K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
El Granada, CA 94018 53%15$230,053$1,430,200— cheaper homes ($570K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Belvedere Tiburon, CA 94920 53%33$246,045$2M+*$1,376 larger · 7 min longer commute · more renters
Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 51%417$187,054$2M+*$1,153 lower income ($63K less) · 10 min longer commute · newer homes
Lafayette, CA 94549 51%31$234,516$2M+*$855 larger · 6 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Beverly Hills, CA 90210 50%315$187,801$2M+*$1,334 lower income ($62K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
San Carlos, CA 94070 50%5$240,074$2M+*$1,361 larger · younger residents · more renters
Riverside, CT 06878 49%2,580$250,000+*$1,968,800$1,000 cheaper homes ($31K less) · younger residents · 13 min longer commute
Orinda, CA 94563 48%29$250,000+*$1,866,500$790 cheaper homes ($134K less) · larger · 13 min longer commute
Greenwich, CT 06831 47%2,575$227,159$1,696,000$735 cheaper homes ($304K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute

* 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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