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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 Montara, CA 94037

Montara: median income $233,826, home value $1,580,700, $685/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
El Granada, CA 94018 90%3$230,053$1,430,200— cheaper homes ($151K less)
Alpine, NJ 07620 85%2,576$246,944$2M+*$792 pricier homes ($419K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Greenwich, CT 06831 82%2,589$227,159$1,696,000$735 pricier homes ($115K more) · larger
Los Gatos, CA 95033 82%39$189,118$1,417,200$652 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($164K less) · larger
Far Hills, NJ 07931 81%2,543$201,078$1,165,700$477 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($415K less) · 6 min longer commute
Los Angeles, CA 90077 77%328$206,319$2M+*$970 lower income ($28K less) · pricier homes ($419K more) · larger
Topanga, CA 90290 76%323$149,304$1,567,700$698 lower income ($85K less) · larger
Cohasset, MA 02025 75%2,717$199,306$1,318,900$546 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($262K less) · larger
Saddle River, NJ 07458 75%2,567$244,022$1,188,500$501 cheaper homes ($392K less) · larger · younger residents
Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724 74%2,603$250,000+*$1,641,000$736 pricier homes ($60K more) · younger residents · more homeowners
Alamo, CA 94507 74%34$250,000+*$2M+*$875 pricier homes ($419K more) · larger · more homeowners
Castro Valley, CA 94552 74%28$212,605$1,394,300$764 cheaper homes ($186K less) · larger · more homeowners
Armonk, NY 10504 72%2,586$250,000+*$1,243,100$531 cheaper homes ($338K less) · larger · younger residents
Villa Park, CA 92861 72%368$202,245$1,871,700$625 lower income ($32K less) · pricier homes ($291K more) · larger
Weston, MA 02493 71%2,691$250,000+*$1,694,400$578 pricier homes ($114K more) · larger · younger residents
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 71%2,561$236,023$1,265,000$456 cheaper homes ($316K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 71%2,576$230,611$1,401,600$625 cheaper homes ($179K less) · larger · more walkable
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 71%2,569$213,981$946,400$468 cheaper homes ($634K less) · larger · younger residents
Mantoloking, NJ 08738 71%2,583$250,000+*$1,493,200$1,040 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller · older residents
Fall City, WA 98024 70%693$160,641$1,107,100$473 lower income ($73K less) · cheaper homes ($474K less)
Lincoln, MA 01773 69%2,690$209,327$1,200,800$484 cheaper homes ($380K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Manchester, MA 01944 69%2,715$206,389$942,000$608 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($639K less) · larger
Colts Neck, NJ 07722 69%2,573$198,994$917,200$474 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($664K less) · larger
Carmel Valley, CA 93924 69%85$148,563$1,222,600$762 lower income ($85K less) · cheaper homes ($358K less) · larger
Westwood, MA 02090 68%2,698$223,125$1,041,500$493 cheaper homes ($539K less) · larger · younger 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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