OfferBackedBuyer Tools
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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 Palo Alto, CA 94303

Palo Alto: median income $151,609, home value $1,826,200, $1,065/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Redwood City, CA 94061 93%5$146,265$1,900,500$1,263 pricier homes ($74K more)
San Bruno, CA 94066 89%19$141,272$1,207,500$927 cheaper homes ($619K less)
Kailua, HI 96734 89%2,393$132,782$1,367,600$904 cheaper homes ($459K less)
Millbrae, CA 94030 88%17$163,476$1,934,900$1,125 pricier homes ($109K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
San Jose, CA 95125 88%18$160,738$1,694,300$1,083 cheaper homes ($132K less) · more walkable
San Jose, CA 95118 84%20$152,682$1,494,600$1,084 cheaper homes ($332K less) · 7 min longer commute
South San Francisco, CA 94080 83%20$136,733$1,188,700$848 cheaper homes ($638K less)
San Diego, CA 92106 81%429$142,897$1,515,200$973 cheaper homes ($311K less) · smaller · more walkable
San Jose, CA 95130 81%15$159,556$1,839,600$1,324 smaller · more walkable
Santa Ana, CA 92705 80%354$129,331$1,203,400$713 cheaper homes ($623K less)
Pacifica, CA 94044 80%22$160,408$1,249,800$896 cheaper homes ($576K less) · older residents · less walkable
San Mateo, CA 94402 80%12$172,522$2M+*$1,372 pricier homes ($174K more) · smaller
San Mateo, CA 94403 80%10$174,917$1,746,300$1,252 cheaper homes ($80K less) · more apartments and townhomes
San Rafael, CA 94901 78%40$115,330$1,512,600$730 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($314K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Santa Barbara, CA 93105 77%249$138,286$1,663,000$1,110 cheaper homes ($163K less) · smaller · older residents
Daly City, CA 94015 77%24$127,056$1,165,500$766 cheaper homes ($661K less)
Santa Barbara, CA 93111 76%246$144,353$1,296,700$1,017 cheaper homes ($530K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Los Alamitos, CA 90720 75%342$135,851$1,215,400$740 cheaper homes ($611K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
San Jose, CA 95124 75%19$185,926$1,666,300$1,134 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($160K less) · more homeowners
Santa Barbara, CA 93103 74%251$122,159$1,663,600$1,148 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($163K less) · smaller
San Jose, CA 95132 73%16$178,611$1,349,100$942 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($477K less) · 6 min longer commute
Honolulu, HI 96816 73%2,401$114,609$1,168,800$730 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($657K less) · older residents
Los Angeles, CA 90045 72%320$135,032$1,399,100$874 cheaper homes ($427K less) · more apartments and townhomes · more walkable
Glendale, CA 91208 72%315$136,892$1,421,200$722 cheaper homes ($405K less) · smaller · older residents
Encinitas, CA 92024 72%410$158,507$1,612,000$993 cheaper homes ($214K 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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