Step 1 · Thinking about buying

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 Walnut Creek, CA 94598

Walnut Creek: median income $186,225, home value $1,339,900, $665/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Concord, MA 01742 91%2,652$195,125$1,218,100$517 cheaper homes ($122K less)
Agoura Hills, CA 91301 91%320$163,317$1,116,200$584 cheaper homes ($224K less)
Bellevue, WA 98006 90%666$198,150$1,388,500$592 pricier homes ($49K more)
Hingham, MA 02043 89%2,679$178,390$1,134,200$550 cheaper homes ($206K less) · 7 min longer commute
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275 89%353$179,469$1,612,000$781 pricier homes ($272K more) · larger
San Ramon, CA 94583 89%12$184,898$1,383,600$708 pricier homes ($44K more) · younger residents
Calabasas, CA 91302 87%322$185,636$1,724,500$676 pricier homes ($385K more)
Danville, CA 94526 87%8$225,097$1,677,700$789 higher income ($39K more) · pricier homes ($338K more)
Lexington, MA 02421 86%2,660$227,813$1,205,700$558 higher income ($42K more) · cheaper homes ($134K less) · smaller
Moraga, CA 94556 86%7$215,720$1,659,600$767 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($320K more) · smaller
Bellevue, WA 98008 86%670$184,583$1,206,200$671 cheaper homes ($134K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Woodinville, WA 98072 86%681$175,805$1,122,200$544 cheaper homes ($218K less) · newer homes
Bedford, MA 01730 85%2,657$172,400$898,500$496 cheaper homes ($441K less) · smaller
Needham Heights, MA 02494 84%2,661$179,720$1,107,700$530 cheaper homes ($232K less) · smaller · more walkable
Encino, CA 91436 84%327$177,981$2M+*$766 pricier homes ($660K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Pleasanton, CA 94566 84%19$191,155$1,656,900$816 pricier homes ($317K more) · larger · more walkable
Andover, MA 01810 83%2,661$172,606$855,600$412 cheaper homes ($484K less)
Cos Cob, CT 06807 83%2,559$192,115$1,443,200$722 pricier homes ($103K more) · smaller · younger residents
Greenwich, CT 06831 83%2,555$227,159$1,696,000$735 higher income ($41K more) · pricier homes ($356K more) · smaller
Carlsbad, CA 92009 83%428$164,182$1,368,100$654 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger · newer homes
Honolulu, HI 96825 83%2,410$153,210$1,088,700$759 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($251K less)
Miami, FL 33156 82%2,568$137,076$1,120,100$619 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($220K less)
Livermore, CA 94550 82%22$180,295$1,202,500$666 cheaper homes ($137K less) · larger
Winchester, MA 01890 81%2,664$230,198$1,215,200$534 higher income ($44K more) · cheaper homes ($125K less) · older homes
Wellesley, MA 02482 81%2,658$226,250$1,352,500$680 higher income ($40K more) · smaller

* 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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