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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 Alamo, CA 94507

Alamo: median income $250,000+*, home value $2M+*, $875/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Los Angeles, CA 90077 87%327$206,319$2M+*$970 lower income ($44K less) · smaller
San Jose, CA 95120 87%45$250,000+*$2M+*$983 larger · more walkable
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274 86%348$215,925$2M+*$961 lower income ($34K less) · larger · more walkable
Greenwich, CT 06831 85%2,557$227,159$1,696,000$735 cheaper homes ($304K less) · more renters
Danville, CA 94526 84%4$225,097$1,677,700$789 cheaper homes ($322K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011 83%329$241,875$2M+*$1,007 older homes
Weston, MA 02493 82%2,659$250,000+*$1,694,400$578 cheaper homes ($306K less) · older homes
Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 82%431$187,054$2M+*$1,153 lower income ($63K less) · smaller
Orinda, CA 94563 82%8$250,000+*$1,866,500$790 cheaper homes ($134K less) · 7 min longer commute · older homes
Lafayette, CA 94549 80%6$234,516$2M+*$855 larger · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Saratoga, CA 95070 79%40$250,000+*$2M+*$1,446 larger
Alpine, NJ 07620 76%2,544$246,944$2M+*$792 smaller
Danville, CA 94506 76%6$250,000+*$1,956,800$716 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Saddle River, NJ 07458 75%2,534$244,022$1,188,500$501 cheaper homes ($812K less) · younger residents
Castro Valley, CA 94552 75%10$212,605$1,394,300$764 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($606K less) · 5 min longer commute
Los Gatos, CA 95030 75%43$250,000+*$2M+*$1,354 more renters · more walkable
Mc Lean, VA 22101 74%2,405$250,000+*$1,449,900$478 cheaper homes ($550K less) · larger
Montara, CA 94037 74%34$233,826$1,580,700$685 cheaper homes ($419K less) · smaller · more renters
Sammamish, WA 98075 74%672$250,000+*$1,599,100$561 cheaper homes ($401K less) · larger · younger residents
Moraga, CA 94556 73%6$215,720$1,659,600$767 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($340K less) · younger residents
Honolulu, HI 96821 73%2,412$174,938$1,563,300$931 lower income ($75K less) · cheaper homes ($437K less)
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 72%2,529$236,023$1,265,000$456 cheaper homes ($735K less) · 7 min longer commute
Needham, MA 02492 71%2,662$226,645$1,218,800$564 cheaper homes ($781K less) · younger residents · older homes
Riverside, CT 06878 71%2,561$250,000+*$1,968,800$1,000 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · younger residents
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 71%638$184,979$2M+*$847 lower income ($65K less) · 10 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes

* 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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