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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 Cupertino, CA 95014

Cupertino: median income $230,913, home value $2M+*, $1,501/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sunnyvale, CA 94087 95%2$207,742$2M+*$1,416 Very close on everything we compare
Menlo Park, CA 94025 92%11$216,601$2M+*$1,558 Very close on everything we compare
San Jose, CA 95129 91%3$195,708$2M+*$1,469 lower income ($35K less)
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 89%313$204,306$2M+*$1,538 lower income ($27K less) · smaller
Los Gatos, CA 95032 88%7$203,727$2M+*$1,206 lower income ($27K less) · smaller
Palo Alto, CA 94306 87%8$210,000$2M+*$1,887 smaller
Belmont, CA 94002 80%19$203,965$2M+*$1,256 lower income ($27K less) · smaller · less walkable
Burlingame, CA 94010 80%25$196,882$2M+*$1,503 lower income ($34K less) · 6 min longer commute · older homes
San Carlos, CA 94070 79%17$240,074$2M+*$1,361 smaller · less walkable
Mill Valley, CA 94941 79%48$209,870$2M+*$1,120 smaller · more single-family homes
Los Angeles, CA 90049 78%301$170,607$2M+*$991 lower income ($60K less) · smaller
Palo Alto, CA 94301 77%10$242,006$2M+*$2,050 smaller · older residents · older homes
Santa Clara, CA 95051 77%4$196,690$1,680,600$1,278 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($319K less) · younger residents
Mercer Island, WA 98040 77%708$219,069$2M+*$799 smaller · older residents
Cardiff By The Sea, CA 92007 76%401$182,629$2M+*$1,307 lower income ($48K less) · smaller
San Mateo, CA 94402 73%22$172,522$2M+*$1,372 lower income ($58K less) · smaller · older homes
La Jolla, CA 92037 72%411$147,230$1,958,700$1,039 lower income ($84K less) · cheaper homes ($41K less)
Fremont, CA 94539 72%15$243,552$1,950,900$1,034 cheaper homes ($49K less) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
San Francisco, CA 94131 71%37$199,211$1,713,300$1,192 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($287K less) · smaller
San Mateo, CA 94403 71%21$174,917$1,746,300$1,252 lower income ($56K less) · cheaper homes ($254K less)
Newport Beach, CA 92660 70%347$159,564$2M+*$1,315 lower income ($71K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Encinitas, CA 92024 68%399$158,507$1,612,000$993 lower income ($72K less) · cheaper homes ($388K less)
San Mateo, CA 94404 68%20$192,332$1,714,400$916 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($286K less) · smaller
Fremont, CA 94555 68%18$219,938$1,376,600$962 cheaper homes ($623K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Kirkland, WA 98033 68%716$182,500$1,491,700$742 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($508K less) · newer homes

* 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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