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.

Reset

Towns most like East Marion, NY 11939

East Marion: median income $102,500, home value $857,800, $652/sq ft, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Monte Rio, CA 95462 83%2,658$85,536$680,900$720 cheaper homes ($177K less) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Forest Knolls, CA 94933 81%2,653$133,006$862,100$631 higher income ($31K more) · younger residents
Oxford, MD 21654 78%263$82,772$840,000$465 newer homes
Seaside Park, NJ 08752 77%123$78,750$802,300$732 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger · younger residents
Lavallette, NJ 08735 74%121$76,974$872,300$1,003 lower income ($26K less) · larger · younger residents
Occidental, CA 95465 73%2,659$120,781$1,079,500$670 pricier homes ($222K more) · younger residents · newer homes
Pocasset, MA 02559 72%98$90,855$625,400$413 cheaper homes ($232K less) · larger · younger residents
South Chatham, MA 02659 72%126$109,453$777,000$641 cheaper homes ($81K less) · younger residents · 12 min shorter commute
Harpswell, ME 04079 72%219$91,969$612,400$500 cheaper homes ($245K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Little Compton, RI 02837 71%67$134,750$783,400$480 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($74K less) · larger
Washington, CT 06793 71%60$121,250$1,026,800$523 pricier homes ($169K more) · younger residents · 9 min shorter commute
Ottsville, PA 18942 70%154$100,417$512,200$423 cheaper homes ($346K less) · larger · younger residents
Wellfleet, MA 02667 68%132$121,110$855,500$627 larger · younger residents · newer homes
Sharon, CT 06069 68%77$101,067$611,200$524 cheaper homes ($247K less) · larger · younger residents
Mendocino, CA 95460 68%2,676$73,576$708,200$654 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($150K less) · larger
Longport, NJ 08403 67%170$110,625$1,054,900$817 pricier homes ($197K more) · 6 min shorter commute · more walkable
Cazadero, CA 95421 67%2,664$78,906$633,400$420 cheaper homes ($224K less) · younger residents
Ogunquit, ME 03907 66%172$114,259$875,700$595 younger residents · 11 min shorter commute · newer homes
Cascade, CO 80809 66%1,724$93,750$480,600$344 cheaper homes ($377K less) · younger residents
Fontana, WI 53125 64%840$112,500$593,800$434 cheaper homes ($264K less) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
North Chatham, MA 02650 63%129$66,548$1,135,100$673 lower income ($36K less) · pricier homes ($277K more) · more walkable
Pauma Valley, CA 92061 62%2,486$92,813$858,300$327 younger residents · newer homes
Greenbank, WA 98253 62%2,472$71,131$789,800$542 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($68K less) · larger
Harwich Port, MA 02646 60%123$81,172$896,000$850 pricier homes ($38K more) · younger residents · 11 min shorter commute
West Dennis, MA 02670 60%119$87,019$714,100$603 cheaper homes ($144K less) · 17 min shorter commute · more walkable

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.