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 Lavallette, NJ 08735

Lavallette: median income $76,974, home value $872,300, $1,003/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mendocino, CA 95460 79%2,609$73,576$708,200$654 cheaper homes ($164K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Cayucos, CA 93430 78%2,549$89,519$1,018,200$901 pricier homes ($146K more) · more renters
Monte Rio, CA 95462 75%2,589$85,536$680,900$720 cheaper homes ($191K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Harwich Port, MA 02646 74%240$81,172$896,000$850 smaller · 9 min shorter commute
North Chatham, MA 02650 74%245$66,548$1,135,100$673 pricier homes ($263K more) · smaller
East Marion, NY 11939 74%121$102,500$857,800$652 higher income ($26K more) · smaller · older residents
East Quogue, NY 11942 74%99$93,710$844,100$675 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger · younger residents
Islamorada, FL 33036 72%1,107$86,032$1,017,400$728 pricier homes ($145K more) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Harpswell, ME 04079 71%336$91,969$612,400$500 cheaper homes ($260K less)
Pocasset, MA 02559 69%216$90,855$625,400$413 cheaper homes ($247K less)
Chatham, MA 02633 69%245$85,483$946,100$690 pricier homes ($74K more) · 14 min shorter commute
Wellfleet, MA 02667 68%251$121,110$855,500$627 higher income ($44K more) · younger residents
Greenbank, WA 98253 67%2,431$71,131$789,800$542 cheaper homes ($83K less) · less walkable · newer homes
Summerland Key, FL 33042 65%1,142$103,041$856,500$854 higher income ($26K more) · larger · younger residents
Oxford, MD 21654 64%143$82,772$840,000$465 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller · older residents
South Chatham, MA 02659 63%242$109,453$777,000$641 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($95K less) · smaller
Grand Lake, CO 80447 63%1,671$96,000$632,400$444 cheaper homes ($240K less) · smaller · younger residents
Harrison, ID 83833 63%2,164$81,568$562,100$652 cheaper homes ($310K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Langley, WA 98260 63%2,426$101,987$678,400$487 higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($194K less) · larger
Cambria, CA 93428 62%2,556$99,762$932,500$691 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger · 14 min shorter commute
Bolinas, CA 94924 62%2,584$101,458$2M+*$1,340 pricier homes ($1128K more) · smaller
Occidental, CA 95465 61%2,589$120,781$1,079,500$670 higher income ($44K more) · pricier homes ($207K more) · smaller
Cazadero, CA 95421 60%2,595$78,906$633,400$420 cheaper homes ($239K less) · smaller · less walkable
Guerneville, CA 95446 60%2,587$85,833$610,600$511 cheaper homes ($262K less) · younger residents · more renters
Sharon, CT 06069 59%135$101,067$611,200$524 cheaper homes ($261K less) · 5 min shorter commute · 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.