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.

Reset

Towns most like Beach Haven, NJ 08008

Beach Haven: median income $120,054, home value $1,165,400, $1,112/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Wellfleet, MA 02667 79%270$121,110$855,500$627 cheaper homes ($310K less) · smaller · younger residents
Jamestown, RI 02835 76%197$140,625$842,400$616 cheaper homes ($323K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Carmel Valley, CA 93924 74%2,565$148,563$1,222,600$762 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($57K more) · younger residents
Pebble Beach, CA 93953 73%2,574$142,763$2M+*$1,305 pricier homes ($835K more) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Rye, NH 03870 71%293$140,938$990,700$601 cheaper homes ($175K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Isle Of Palms, SC 29451 71%566$156,979$1,581,300$975 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($416K more) · smaller
Sag Harbor, NY 11963 70%136$127,746$1,208,000$1,004 pricier homes ($43K more) · younger residents · 9 min shorter commute
Cutchogue, NY 11935 69%131$143,750$915,900$684 cheaper homes ($250K less) · smaller · younger residents
Chatham, MA 02633 68%263$85,483$946,100$690 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($219K less) · smaller
Westhampton, NY 11977 67%114$151,375$1,077,200$568 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller
Carmel, CA 93923 67%2,572$142,474$1,767,800$1,111 pricier homes ($602K more) · larger · 11 min shorter commute
Ogunquit, ME 03907 66%311$114,259$875,700$595 cheaper homes ($290K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Southampton, NY 11968 66%128$156,219$1,326,600$963 higher income ($36K more) · pricier homes ($161K more) · larger
Summerland Key, FL 33042 66%1,119$103,041$856,500$854 cheaper homes ($309K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Chilmark, MA 02535 65%217$153,966$1,888,000$1,176 higher income ($34K more) · pricier homes ($723K more) · smaller
Bolinas, CA 94924 65%2,583$101,458$2M+*$1,340 pricier homes ($835K more) · smaller · more renters
Harwich Port, MA 02646 64%257$81,172$896,000$850 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($269K less) · smaller
Osterville, MA 02655 64%242$118,750$806,300$571 cheaper homes ($359K less) · smaller · younger residents
Cambria, CA 93428 64%2,553$99,762$932,500$691 cheaper homes ($233K less) · 10 min shorter commute · more renters
Orleans, MA 02653 63%265$102,813$960,600$503 cheaper homes ($205K less) · 10 min shorter commute
East Quogue, NY 11942 63%119$93,710$844,100$675 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($321K less) · younger residents
Little Compton, RI 02837 62%205$134,750$783,400$480 cheaper homes ($382K less) · smaller · less walkable
Honolulu, HI 96821 62%4,962$174,938$1,563,300$931 higher income ($55K more) · pricier homes ($398K more) · larger
Folly Beach, SC 29439 61%578$137,396$1,043,200$781 cheaper homes ($122K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
South Chatham, MA 02659 60%260$109,453$777,000$641 cheaper homes ($388K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute

* 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.