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 Avon By The Sea, NJ 07717

Avon By The Sea: median income $122,635, home value $1,509,600, $986/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Santa Monica, CA 90402 65%2,462$159,100$2M+*$1,463 higher income ($36K more) · pricier homes ($490K more) · larger
Fairfax, CA 94930 64%2,577$145,362$1,170,000$732 cheaper homes ($340K less) · larger · younger residents
Little Neck, NY 11363 61%43$125,015$1,053,800$697 cheaper homes ($456K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Nahant, MA 01908 59%223$112,762$748,800$558 cheaper homes ($761K less) · larger · older residents
Greenbrae, CA 94904 59%2,575$169,118$2M+*$894 higher income ($46K more) · pricier homes ($490K more) · larger
Sierra Madre, CA 91024 58%2,434$143,547$1,226,800$764 cheaper homes ($283K less) · larger · younger residents
Newport Beach, CA 92662 57%2,441$165,955$2M+*$1,915 higher income ($43K more) · pricier homes ($490K more) · older residents
Pacific Grove, CA 93950 57%2,574$106,065$1,190,400$1,058 cheaper homes ($319K less) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Glendale, CA 91208 56%2,443$136,892$1,421,200$722 cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger · younger residents
San Anselmo, CA 94960 56%2,576$185,170$1,674,500$991 higher income ($63K more) · pricier homes ($165K more) · larger
Pasadena, CA 91105 55%2,441$156,791$1,671,000$841 higher income ($34K more) · pricier homes ($161K more) · larger
Laguna Beach, CA 92651 55%2,437$146,604$2M+*$1,677 pricier homes ($490K more) · larger · less walkable
Berkeley, CA 94705 55%2,562$167,970$1,992,800$899 higher income ($45K more) · pricier homes ($483K more) · larger
Edmonds, WA 98020 54%2,419$130,319$1,031,500$625 cheaper homes ($478K less) · larger · newer homes
Great Neck, NY 11020 53%43$167,148$1,132,200$750 higher income ($45K more) · cheaper homes ($377K less) · larger
El Cerrito, CA 94530 53%2,563$128,529$1,114,100$771 cheaper homes ($396K less) · larger · younger residents
Los Angeles, CA 90056 52%2,456$133,048$1,607,200$638 pricier homes ($98K more) · larger · younger residents
Pasadena, CA 91107 52%2,437$126,449$1,155,300$793 cheaper homes ($354K less) · larger · younger residents
Sausalito, CA 94965 52%2,575$146,946$1,537,800$878 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger · more renters
Great Neck, NY 11023 51%45$141,003$1,143,400$620 cheaper homes ($366K less) · larger · younger residents
Encino, CA 91436 51%2,458$177,981$2M+*$766 higher income ($55K more) · pricier homes ($490K more) · larger
San Gabriel, CA 91775 51%2,438$118,610$1,092,700$782 cheaper homes ($417K less) · larger · younger residents
Albertson, NY 11507 50%44$164,028$860,000$598 higher income ($41K more) · cheaper homes ($650K less) · larger
East Norwich, NY 11732 50%52$148,965$780,800$545 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($729K less) · larger
Beverly Hills, CA 90210 49%2,455$187,801$2M+*$1,334 higher income ($65K more) · pricier homes ($490K more) · 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.