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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 Millbrae, CA 94030

Millbrae: median income $163,476, home value $1,934,900, $1,125/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Palo Alto, CA 94303 88%17$151,609$1,826,200$1,065 cheaper homes ($109K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Redwood City, CA 94061 87%13$146,265$1,900,500$1,263 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger · younger residents
San Mateo, CA 94402 87%5$172,522$2M+*$1,372 pricier homes ($65K more)
San Jose, CA 95118 85%37$152,682$1,494,600$1,084 cheaper homes ($440K less) · more walkable
Pacifica, CA 94044 84%5$160,408$1,249,800$896 cheaper homes ($685K less) · larger
San Jose, CA 95125 83%35$160,738$1,694,300$1,083 cheaper homes ($241K less) · larger · more walkable
Burlingame, CA 94010 82%3$196,882$2M+*$1,503 higher income ($33K more) · pricier homes ($65K more) · larger
San Mateo, CA 94403 82%7$174,917$1,746,300$1,252 cheaper homes ($189K less) · larger
San Jose, CA 95130 82%32$159,556$1,839,600$1,324 cheaper homes ($95K less) · smaller · younger residents
Glendale, CA 91208 81%331$136,892$1,421,200$722 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($514K less)
Belmont, CA 94002 81%8$203,965$2M+*$1,256 higher income ($40K more) · pricier homes ($65K more)
San Bruno, CA 94066 81%2$141,272$1,207,500$927 cheaper homes ($727K less) · larger
Greenwich, CT 06830 80%2,584$146,654$1,660,700$858 cheaper homes ($274K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Capistrano Beach, CA 92624 80%391$140,666$1,226,200$1,085 cheaper homes ($709K less) · smaller
Kailua, HI 96734 80%2,382$132,782$1,367,600$904 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($567K less) · larger
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 78%9$153,781$1,556,800$812 cheaper homes ($378K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Los Alamitos, CA 90720 77%358$135,851$1,215,400$740 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($720K less) · more walkable
Sierra Madre, CA 91024 77%340$143,547$1,226,800$764 cheaper homes ($708K less) · smaller
Beverly Hills, CA 90210 76%330$187,801$2M+*$1,334 pricier homes ($65K more) · older residents
Glendale, CA 91207 76%332$118,116$1,426,100$768 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($509K less) · smaller
Encinitas, CA 92024 76%427$158,507$1,612,000$993 cheaper homes ($323K less) · larger · newer homes
Santa Barbara, CA 93105 76%265$138,286$1,663,000$1,110 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($272K less) · 10 min shorter commute
South San Francisco, CA 94080 76%4$136,733$1,188,700$848 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($746K less) · larger
San Rafael, CA 94903 76%32$142,083$1,197,300$722 cheaper homes ($738K less) · older residents
Greenbrae, CA 94904 75%25$169,118$2M+*$894 pricier homes ($65K more) · smaller · older residents

* 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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