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 Seaside Park, NJ 08752

Seaside Park: median income $78,750, home value $802,300, $732/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Monte Rio, CA 95462 79%2,589$85,536$680,900$720 cheaper homes ($121K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
East Marion, NY 11939 77%123$102,500$857,800$652 pricier homes ($56K more) · smaller · older residents
Rockport, MA 01966 75%261$96,250$746,100$545 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger · more renters
Pocasset, MA 02559 75%219$90,855$625,400$413 cheaper homes ($177K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Harwich Port, MA 02646 73%242$81,172$896,000$850 pricier homes ($94K more) · 8 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
North Chatham, MA 02650 73%248$66,548$1,135,100$673 pricier homes ($333K more) · smaller · newer homes
Sharon, CT 06069 73%139$101,067$611,200$524 cheaper homes ($191K less) · less walkable
Cayucos, CA 93430 73%2,549$89,519$1,018,200$901 pricier homes ($216K more) · 5 min longer commute · more renters
Mendocino, CA 95460 73%2,610$73,576$708,200$654 cheaper homes ($94K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Essex, CT 06426 72%133$103,705$729,200$433 cheaper homes ($73K less) · more walkable
Islamorada, FL 33036 72%1,104$86,032$1,017,400$728 pricier homes ($215K more) · larger · younger residents
Guerneville, CA 95446 69%2,587$85,833$610,600$511 cheaper homes ($192K less) · larger · younger residents
South Chatham, MA 02659 68%244$109,453$777,000$641 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller
Woodstock, NY 12498 68%146$94,210$627,700$470 cheaper homes ($175K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Forest Knolls, CA 94933 67%2,582$133,006$862,100$631 higher income ($54K more) · pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller
Nahant, MA 01908 65%238$112,762$748,800$558 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($54K less) · more walkable
Harpswell, ME 04079 65%339$91,969$612,400$500 cheaper homes ($190K less) · larger · more single-family homes
East Quogue, NY 11942 65%101$93,710$844,100$675 pricier homes ($42K more) · larger · younger residents
Oxford, MD 21654 65%140$82,772$840,000$465 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller · older residents
Wellfleet, MA 02667 64%253$121,110$855,500$627 higher income ($42K more) · pricier homes ($53K more) · larger
West Dennis, MA 02670 64%237$87,019$714,100$603 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller · older residents
Fontana, WI 53125 64%773$112,500$593,800$434 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($209K less) · younger residents
Grand Lake, CO 80447 64%1,671$96,000$632,400$444 cheaper homes ($170K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Chatham, MA 02633 63%247$85,483$946,100$690 pricier homes ($144K more) · larger · 13 min shorter commute
Emerald Isle, NC 28594 63%398$89,773$603,700$474 cheaper homes ($199K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute

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.