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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 Redwood City, CA 94061

Redwood City: median income $146,265, home value $1,900,500, $1,263/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Palo Alto, CA 94303 93%5$151,609$1,826,200$1,065 cheaper homes ($74K less)
San Mateo, CA 94403 89%6$174,917$1,746,300$1,252 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($154K less)
Millbrae, CA 94030 87%13$163,476$1,934,900$1,125 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller · older residents
San Bruno, CA 94066 86%16$141,272$1,207,500$927 cheaper homes ($693K less)
San Mateo, CA 94402 83%8$172,522$2M+*$1,372 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($100K more)
San Jose, CA 95125 83%22$160,738$1,694,300$1,083 cheaper homes ($206K less) · more walkable
Kailua, HI 96734 82%2,388$132,782$1,367,600$904 cheaper homes ($533K less)
Santa Barbara, CA 93103 81%254$122,159$1,663,600$1,148 cheaper homes ($237K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
San Jose, CA 95118 80%24$152,682$1,494,600$1,084 cheaper homes ($406K less) · 6 min longer commute · more walkable
San Rafael, CA 94901 79%38$115,330$1,512,600$730 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($388K less)
Los Angeles, CA 90045 78%324$135,032$1,399,100$874 cheaper homes ($501K less) · more walkable
El Segundo, CA 90245 78%325$150,737$1,587,500$1,110 cheaper homes ($313K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Santa Barbara, CA 93105 78%252$138,286$1,663,000$1,110 cheaper homes ($238K less) · smaller · older residents
South San Francisco, CA 94080 78%17$136,733$1,188,700$848 cheaper homes ($712K less) · larger · older residents
Campbell, CA 95008 78%20$141,131$1,633,600$1,000 cheaper homes ($267K less) · more walkable · newer homes
San Jose, CA 95130 78%18$159,556$1,839,600$1,324 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller · more walkable
Greenwich, CT 06830 77%2,579$146,654$1,660,700$858 cheaper homes ($240K less) · older residents
San Diego, CA 92106 75%432$142,897$1,515,200$973 cheaper homes ($385K less) · smaller · more walkable
Coronado, CA 92118 75%437$134,534$2M+*$1,435 pricier homes ($100K more) · smaller · more walkable
Santa Barbara, CA 93109 75%254$123,347$1,882,500$1,451 smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Santa Clara, CA 95050 75%17$138,466$1,464,700$1,067 cheaper homes ($436K less) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Santa Ana, CA 92705 74%358$129,331$1,203,400$713 cheaper homes ($697K less) · newer homes
Belmont, CA 94002 74%5$203,965$2M+*$1,256 higher income ($58K more) · pricier homes ($100K more)
San Clemente, CA 92672 73%380$111,989$1,438,800$978 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($462K less) · older residents
San Jose, CA 95128 73%19$131,152$1,262,600$897 cheaper homes ($638K less) · more walkable

* 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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