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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 Mill Valley, CA 94941

Mill Valley: median income $209,870, home value $2M+*, $1,120/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 92%348$189,713$2M+*$1,150 smaller
Mercer Island, WA 98040 90%668$219,069$2M+*$799 Very close on everything we compare
San Carlos, CA 94070 89%31$240,074$2M+*$1,361 higher income ($30K more)
Los Gatos, CA 95032 89%55$203,727$2M+*$1,206 more apartments and townhomes
Beverly Hills, CA 90210 88%350$187,801$2M+*$1,334 smaller · older residents
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 88%361$204,306$2M+*$1,538 Very close on everything we compare
Corte Madera, CA 94925 88%2$232,763$1,755,200$1,066 cheaper homes ($245K less) · smaller
Redwood City, CA 94062 87%35$233,262$2M+*$1,304 less walkable
Burlingame, CA 94010 85%24$196,882$2M+*$1,503 Very close on everything we compare
San Anselmo, CA 94960 85%6$185,170$1,674,500$991 cheaper homes ($326K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Menlo Park, CA 94025 84%37$216,601$2M+*$1,558 younger residents
Lafayette, CA 94549 84%23$234,516$2M+*$855 less walkable
Encino, CA 91436 83%344$177,981$2M+*$766 lower income ($32K less) · smaller
Fremont, CA 94539 83%42$243,552$1,950,900$1,034 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger
Greenbrae, CA 94904 83%4$169,118$2M+*$894 lower income ($41K less) · smaller · older residents
San Jose, CA 95129 83%50$195,708$2M+*$1,469 younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
San Mateo, CA 94402 82%26$172,522$2M+*$1,372 lower income ($37K less) · younger residents
Belvedere Tiburon, CA 94920 82%4$246,045$2M+*$1,376 higher income ($36K more) · smaller · older residents
Los Gatos, CA 95030 82%55$250,000+*$2M+*$1,354 higher income ($40K more) · smaller · older residents
San Jose, CA 95124 82%55$185,926$1,666,300$1,134 cheaper homes ($334K less) · larger · younger residents
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274 81%368$215,925$2M+*$961 older residents · more homeowners
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275 79%369$179,469$1,612,000$781 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($388K less) · 6 min longer commute
Del Mar, CA 92014 79%452$198,823$2M+*$1,248 smaller · older residents · newer homes
Cupertino, CA 95014 79%48$230,913$2M+*$1,501 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Belmont, CA 94002 78%29$203,965$2M+*$1,256 younger residents · more renters · 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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