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 San Mateo, CA 94404

San Mateo: median income $192,332, home value $1,714,400, $916/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Francisco, CA 94131 86%16$199,211$1,713,300$1,192 more walkable · older homes
Los Angeles, CA 90049 85%321$170,607$2M+*$991 pricier homes ($286K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Mountain View, CA 94043 84%15$203,298$1,641,100$1,015 cheaper homes ($73K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more walkable
Redondo Beach, CA 90278 81%335$160,236$1,242,700$783 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($472K less)
San Mateo, CA 94403 81%2$174,917$1,746,300$1,252 pricier homes ($32K more) · more single-family homes
Santa Clara, CA 95051 81%21$196,690$1,680,600$1,278 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Key Biscayne, FL 33149 80%2,585$181,505$1,575,300$994 cheaper homes ($139K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Studio City, CA 91604 80%320$141,875$1,700,300$822 lower income ($50K less) · more walkable
Belmont, CA 94002 80%3$203,965$2M+*$1,256 pricier homes ($286K more) · more single-family homes
Bellevue, WA 98005 80%695$160,849$1,519,500$613 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($195K less) · smaller
Redwood City, CA 94065 78%2$215,955$1,811,800$912 pricier homes ($97K more) · smaller · more homeowners
La Jolla, CA 92037 77%431$147,230$1,958,700$1,039 lower income ($45K less) · pricier homes ($244K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Walnut Creek, CA 94596 77%27$135,635$1,277,800$653 lower income ($57K less) · cheaper homes ($437K less) · smaller
Greenwich, CT 06830 76%2,578$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($54K less) · older homes
Newport Beach, CA 92660 76%367$159,564$2M+*$1,315 lower income ($33K less) · pricier homes ($286K more) · older residents
El Segundo, CA 90245 75%331$150,737$1,587,500$1,110 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($127K less) · smaller
Los Gatos, CA 95032 74%28$203,727$2M+*$1,206 pricier homes ($286K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Mountain View, CA 94040 73%15$187,781$2M+*$1,570 pricier homes ($286K more) · 5 min shorter commute · more renters
Sunnyvale, CA 94086 73%18$177,054$1,810,200$1,032 pricier homes ($96K more) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
San Jose, CA 95129 73%23$195,708$2M+*$1,469 pricier homes ($286K more) · more single-family homes
Fremont, CA 94536 72%15$167,662$1,287,800$932 cheaper homes ($427K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Campbell, CA 95008 72%26$141,131$1,633,600$1,000 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($81K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Milpitas, CA 95035 72%22$178,654$1,253,200$777 cheaper homes ($461K less) · larger
Redondo Beach, CA 90277 71%337$127,795$1,476,000$890 lower income ($65K less) · cheaper homes ($238K less) · older residents
Sunnyvale, CA 94085 71%18$192,417$1,534,400$906 cheaper homes ($180K less) · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute

* 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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