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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 Lafayette, CA 94549

Lafayette: median income $234,516, home value $2M+*, $855/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Greenwich, CT 06831 92%2,560$227,159$1,696,000$735 cheaper homes ($304K less) · smaller
Danville, CA 94526 91%10$225,097$1,677,700$789 cheaper homes ($322K less) · newer homes
Moraga, CA 94556 89%4$215,720$1,659,600$767 cheaper homes ($340K less) · smaller
Redwood City, CA 94062 87%34$233,262$2M+*$1,304 Very close on everything we compare
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274 86%354$215,925$2M+*$961 more walkable
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011 86%335$241,875$2M+*$1,007 more single-family homes
Los Angeles, CA 90077 84%332$206,319$2M+*$970 lower income ($28K less) · smaller
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 84%333$189,713$2M+*$1,150 lower income ($45K less) · more walkable
Mill Valley, CA 94941 84%23$209,870$2M+*$1,120 more walkable
Encino, CA 91436 83%329$177,981$2M+*$766 lower income ($57K less) · smaller
Wellesley, MA 02482 82%2,663$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($648K less) · smaller · more walkable
Weston, MA 02493 82%2,662$250,000+*$1,694,400$578 cheaper homes ($306K less) · smaller
New Canaan, CT 06840 82%2,567$250,000+*$1,611,900$654 cheaper homes ($388K less) · 9 min longer commute
San Carlos, CA 94070 81%29$240,074$2M+*$1,361 Very close on everything we compare
Fremont, CA 94539 81%28$243,552$1,950,900$1,034 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger · more walkable
Alamo, CA 94507 80%6$250,000+*$2M+*$875 smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Orinda, CA 94563 80%4$250,000+*$1,866,500$790 cheaper homes ($134K less) · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners
San Jose, CA 95120 80%49$250,000+*$2M+*$983 more walkable · newer homes
Needham, MA 02492 79%2,666$226,645$1,218,800$564 cheaper homes ($781K less)
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275 79%355$179,469$1,612,000$781 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($388K less) · more walkable
Walnut Creek, CA 94598 79%5$186,225$1,339,900$665 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($660K less)
San Anselmo, CA 94960 79%26$185,170$1,674,500$991 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($326K less) · smaller
Darien, CT 06820 78%2,569$250,000+*$1,822,400$811 cheaper homes ($178K less) · younger residents · 9 min longer commute
Corte Madera, CA 94925 78%22$232,763$1,755,200$1,066 cheaper homes ($245K less) · smaller · more walkable
Los Gatos, CA 95030 78%47$250,000+*$2M+*$1,354 smaller · older residents · 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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