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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 Mountain View, CA 94040

Mountain View: median income $187,781, home value $2M+*, $1,570/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mountain View, CA 94041 92%1$178,558$2M+*$1,250 smaller
Sunnyvale, CA 94086 88%4$177,054$1,810,200$1,032 cheaper homes ($190K less)
Mountain View, CA 94043 87%2$203,298$1,641,100$1,015 cheaper homes ($359K less)
Santa Clara, CA 95051 87%6$196,690$1,680,600$1,278 cheaper homes ($319K less) · larger
Los Angeles, CA 90049 77%306$170,607$2M+*$991 more homeowners
San Francisco, CA 94131 76%31$199,211$1,713,300$1,192 cheaper homes ($287K less) · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners
Newport Beach, CA 92663 75%350$141,541$2M+*$1,469 lower income ($46K less) · smaller · older residents
Sunnyvale, CA 94085 75%4$192,417$1,534,400$906 cheaper homes ($466K less) · newer homes
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 73%320$166,442$2M+*$1,247 smaller · older residents · more homeowners
San Mateo, CA 94404 73%15$192,332$1,714,400$916 cheaper homes ($286K less) · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners
El Segundo, CA 90245 72%316$150,737$1,587,500$1,110 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($413K less) · smaller
Newport Beach, CA 92660 72%352$159,564$2M+*$1,315 lower income ($28K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Bellevue, WA 98004 72%707$182,545$2M+*$915 newer homes
Sunnyvale, CA 94087 71%4$207,742$2M+*$1,416 larger · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Palo Alto, CA 94306 70%3$210,000$2M+*$1,887 older residents · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Venice, CA 90291 69%310$122,738$2M+*$1,244 lower income ($65K less) · older homes
San Diego, CA 92109 69%419$122,128$1,226,900$1,117 lower income ($66K less) · cheaper homes ($773K less)
Santa Monica, CA 90405 68%309$121,241$1,929,900$1,153 lower income ($67K less) · cheaper homes ($70K less) · older residents
New York, NY 10065 67%2,560$155,331$1,419,800$1,371 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($580K less) · more apartments and townhomes
San Mateo, CA 94403 67%16$174,917$1,746,300$1,252 cheaper homes ($254K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
San Jose, CA 95129 67%7$195,708$2M+*$1,469 older residents · more homeowners · more single-family homes
New York, NY 10028 66%2,560$175,121$1,602,600$1,460 cheaper homes ($397K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
San Francisco, CA 94115 66%34$151,524$1,679,000$1,386 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($321K less) · 5 min longer commute
Santa Clara, CA 95050 66%8$138,466$1,464,700$1,067 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($535K less)
Santa Clara, CA 95054 66%7$207,895$1,493,100$922 cheaper homes ($507K less) · newer homes

* 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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