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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 Los Gatos, CA 95030

Los Gatos: median income $250,000+*, home value $2M+*, $1,354/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Saratoga, CA 95070 92%4$250,000+*$2M+*$1,446 larger
Belvedere Tiburon, CA 94920 91%52$246,045$2M+*$1,376 more apartments and townhomes
Los Altos, CA 94022 90%13$250,000+*$2M+*$1,793 larger
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274 89%313$215,925$2M+*$961 lower income ($34K less) · larger
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 87%293$189,713$2M+*$1,150 lower income ($60K less) · larger
Corte Madera, CA 94925 86%56$232,763$1,755,200$1,066 cheaper homes ($245K less) · younger residents
Beverly Hills, CA 90210 83%296$187,801$2M+*$1,334 lower income ($62K less)
Mill Valley, CA 94941 82%55$209,870$2M+*$1,120 lower income ($40K less) · larger · younger residents
San Jose, CA 95120 80%7$250,000+*$2M+*$983 larger
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011 79%297$241,875$2M+*$1,007 larger · younger residents · more single-family homes
Del Mar, CA 92014 79%398$198,823$2M+*$1,248 lower income ($51K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Los Altos, CA 94024 79%10$250,000+*$2M+*$1,924 larger · more single-family homes
Fremont, CA 94539 78%20$243,552$1,950,900$1,034 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger · younger residents
Lafayette, CA 94549 78%47$234,516$2M+*$855 larger · younger residents · less walkable
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 76%2,575$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 cheaper homes ($211K less) · smaller · younger residents
Redwood City, CA 94062 76%22$233,262$2M+*$1,304 larger · younger residents · less walkable
Malibu, CA 90265 75%286$196,742$2M+*$1,167 lower income ($53K less) · less walkable
Santa Barbara, CA 93108 75%234$230,419$2M+*$1,802 7 min shorter commute · less walkable
Alamo, CA 94507 75%43$250,000+*$2M+*$875 more homeowners · less walkable
San Anselmo, CA 94960 75%61$185,170$1,674,500$991 lower income ($65K less) · cheaper homes ($326K less) · older homes
Mercer Island, WA 98040 75%714$219,069$2M+*$799 lower income ($31K less) · larger · younger residents
Riverside, CT 06878 74%2,574$250,000+*$1,968,800$1,000 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · younger residents
Encino, CA 91436 74%289$177,981$2M+*$766 lower income ($72K less)
Greenwich, CT 06831 73%2,570$227,159$1,696,000$735 cheaper homes ($304K less) · less walkable
Los Angeles, CA 90077 73%293$206,319$2M+*$970 lower income ($44K less) · smaller · less 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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