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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 San Mateo, CA 94402

San Mateo: median income $172,522, home value $2M+*, $1,372/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Burlingame, CA 94010 94%2$196,882$2M+*$1,503 larger
Belmont, CA 94002 93%3$203,965$2M+*$1,256 higher income ($31K more)
Menlo Park, CA 94025 89%11$216,601$2M+*$1,558 higher income ($44K more) · larger
San Mateo, CA 94403 88%2$174,917$1,746,300$1,252 cheaper homes ($254K less) · larger
Millbrae, CA 94030 87%5$163,476$1,934,900$1,125 cheaper homes ($65K less)
San Jose, CA 95129 87%25$195,708$2M+*$1,469 larger · more walkable
San Jose, CA 95130 84%26$159,556$1,839,600$1,324 cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller · more walkable
Cardiff By The Sea, CA 92007 83%423$182,629$2M+*$1,307 smaller · 5 min shorter commute · newer homes
Redwood City, CA 94061 83%8$146,265$1,900,500$1,263 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($100K less)
San Carlos, CA 94070 83%5$240,074$2M+*$1,361 higher income ($68K more)
Greenwich, CT 06830 82%2,581$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($339K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Mill Valley, CA 94941 82%26$209,870$2M+*$1,120 higher income ($37K more) · older residents
Los Gatos, CA 95032 82%30$203,727$2M+*$1,206 higher income ($31K more) · more walkable · newer homes
San Jose, CA 95125 81%30$160,738$1,694,300$1,083 cheaper homes ($306K less) · larger · more walkable
Palo Alto, CA 94303 80%12$151,609$1,826,200$1,065 cheaper homes ($174K less) · larger
Sunnyvale, CA 94087 79%21$207,742$2M+*$1,416 higher income ($35K more) · larger · more walkable
Greenbrae, CA 94904 78%30$169,118$2M+*$894 smaller · older residents
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 77%335$204,306$2M+*$1,538 higher income ($32K more) · more walkable · newer homes
La Jolla, CA 92037 77%433$147,230$1,958,700$1,039 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger
San Jose, CA 95118 77%31$152,682$1,494,600$1,084 cheaper homes ($505K less) · more walkable
Los Angeles, CA 90049 76%323$170,607$2M+*$991 more apartments and townhomes
Beverly Hills, CA 90210 76%325$187,801$2M+*$1,334 older residents · more homeowners
Encinitas, CA 92024 76%422$158,507$1,612,000$993 cheaper homes ($388K less) · larger · newer homes
San Diego, CA 92106 76%440$142,897$1,515,200$973 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($485K less) · more walkable
Santa Barbara, CA 93105 76%260$138,286$1,663,000$1,110 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($337K less) · 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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