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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 Ross, CA 94957

Ross: median income $250,000+*, home value $2M+*, $1,516/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
San Marino, CA 91108 76%363$204,847$2M+*$1,113 lower income ($45K less) · larger
Atherton, CA 94027 67%40$250,000+*$2M+*$2,451 larger · older residents · less walkable
Waban, MA 02468 66%2,686$250,000+*$1,846,600$619 cheaper homes ($153K less) · larger · older residents
Medina, WA 98039 65%668$250,000+*$2M+*$1,193 older residents · newer homes
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011 64%355$241,875$2M+*$1,007 larger · newer homes
Los Altos, CA 94024 62%49$250,000+*$2M+*$1,924 larger · older residents · newer homes
Riverside, CT 06878 61%2,585$250,000+*$1,968,800$1,000 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Berkeley, CA 94708 58%17$234,923$1,593,000$934 cheaper homes ($407K less) · larger · older residents
Berkeley, CA 94707 57%16$212,776$1,649,300$828 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($351K less) · larger
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481 56%2,684$250,000+*$1,694,600$672 cheaper homes ($305K less) · larger · younger residents
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 55%2,586$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 cheaper homes ($211K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Kenilworth, IL 60043 55%1,852$250,000+*$1,560,300$534 cheaper homes ($440K less) · 10 min longer commute
Essex Fells, NJ 07021 54%2,553$250,000+*$1,083,000$582 cheaper homes ($917K less) · 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Los Gatos, CA 95030 54%60$250,000+*$2M+*$1,354 larger · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724 53%2,595$250,000+*$1,641,000$736 cheaper homes ($359K less) · 10 min longer commute · less walkable
Los Angeles, CA 90077 53%351$206,319$2M+*$970 lower income ($44K less) · larger · less walkable
Ho Ho Kus, NJ 07423 52%2,559$250,000+*$1,092,500$624 cheaper homes ($908K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Redwood City, CA 94062 52%40$233,262$2M+*$1,304 larger · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
San Francisco, CA 94127 52%17$214,167$1,847,400$1,205 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($153K less) · larger
Corte Madera, CA 94925 51%4$232,763$1,755,200$1,066 cheaper homes ($245K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Wellesley, MA 02482 49%2,683$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($648K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Los Altos, CA 94022 49%47$250,000+*$2M+*$1,793 larger · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
San Anselmo, CA 94960 49%2$185,170$1,674,500$991 lower income ($65K less) · cheaper homes ($326K less) · larger
Saratoga, CA 95070 49%56$250,000+*$2M+*$1,446 larger · older residents · newer homes
Newton Highlands, MA 02461 48%2,688$224,000$1,255,400$684 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($745K less) · larger

* 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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