OfferBackedBuyer Tools
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 Brewster, MA 02631

Brewster: median income $102,132, home value $700,500, $488/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Saint Michaels, MD 21663 89%384$89,775$650,500$438 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller
Moultonborough, NH 03254 87%152$106,440$641,300$374 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller
Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 87%496$120,662$677,600$403 Very close on everything we compare
Estes Park, CO 80517 86%1,836$95,404$701,700$415 8 min shorter commute
Santa Fe, NM 87506 86%1,963$96,511$611,800$464 cheaper homes ($89K less) · larger · newer homes
Sisters, OR 97759 86%2,561$102,734$777,700$425 pricier homes ($77K more) · younger residents · newer homes
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 85%140$94,349$548,600$347 cheaper homes ($152K less) · smaller
York, ME 03909 85%102$115,608$638,400$414 cheaper homes ($62K less) · younger residents
Bigfork, MT 59911 85%2,166$83,019$666,400$456 cheaper homes ($34K less) · newer homes
Tybee Island, GA 31328 84%897$109,631$619,800$427 cheaper homes ($81K less) · smaller
Saint Simons Island, GA 31522 84%958$108,632$571,100$344 cheaper homes ($129K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Eastsound, WA 98245 84%2,563$95,811$772,600$590 pricier homes ($72K more) · smaller · younger residents
Nags Head, NC 27959 83%503$91,264$490,800$424 cheaper homes ($210K less) · smaller
Edisto Island, SC 29438 83%848$86,979$642,400$452 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller
Cambria, CA 93428 83%2,745$99,762$932,500$691 pricier homes ($232K more) · smaller
Nevada City, CA 95959 83%2,639$86,524$627,100$324 cheaper homes ($73K less) · larger
Friday Harbor, WA 98250 83%2,573$88,556$801,200$492 pricier homes ($101K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Rhinebeck, NY 12572 82%197$94,859$483,100$472 cheaper homes ($217K less) · 6 min longer commute
Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 82%883$97,948$639,400$351 cheaper homes ($61K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951 82%1,117$98,420$567,300$354 cheaper homes ($133K less) · 6 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Bend, OR 97707 82%2,573$85,272$647,600$432 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Kennebunk, ME 04043 81%116$107,804$487,700$378 cheaper homes ($213K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Oak Island, NC 28465 80%697$86,194$479,500$428 cheaper homes ($221K less) · newer homes
Freeland, WA 98249 80%2,555$99,519$627,400$404 cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller · 9 min longer commute
Fairfield, NJ 07004 79%227$115,980$688,500$393 younger residents

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.