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 Water Mill, NY 11976

Water Mill: median income $180,250, home value $2M+*, $943/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sullivans Island, SC 29482 84%699$192,813$2M+*$1,204 older homes
West Tisbury, MA 02575 79%95$173,417$1,306,300— cheaper homes ($694K less)
Chilmark, MA 02535 76%89$153,966$1,888,000$1,176 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($112K less) · 10 min longer commute
Wilson, WY 83014 73%1,962$140,473$2M+*$1,274 lower income ($40K less) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 71%2,218$184,979$2M+*$847 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 67%2,508$187,054$2M+*$1,153 larger · younger residents · 14 min longer commute
Los Angeles, CA 90077 66%2,540$206,319$2M+*$970 higher income ($26K more) · larger · younger residents
Los Olivos, CA 93441 66%2,611$142,760$1,503,100$1,195 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($497K less) · smaller
Alpine, NJ 07620 65%83$246,944$2M+*$792 higher income ($67K more) · smaller · 13 min longer commute
Isle Of Palms, SC 29451 65%695$156,979$1,581,300$975 cheaper homes ($419K less) · 9 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Villa Park, CA 92861 65%2,515$202,245$1,871,700$625 cheaper homes ($128K less) · larger · more walkable
Pebble Beach, CA 93953 62%2,653$142,763$2M+*$1,305 lower income ($37K less) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
El Granada, CA 94018 59%2,657$230,053$1,430,200— higher income ($50K more) · cheaper homes ($570K less) · 10 min longer commute
Alamo, CA 94507 59%2,625$250,000+*$2M+*$875 higher income ($70K more) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Montara, CA 94037 57%2,658$233,826$1,580,700$685 higher income ($54K more) · cheaper homes ($419K less) · 13 min longer commute
Woodinville, WA 98077 57%2,458$184,306$1,206,400$546 cheaper homes ($794K less) · larger · younger residents
Medina, WA 98039 56%2,467$250,000+*$2M+*$1,193 higher income ($70K more) · more renters · more walkable
Topanga, CA 90290 55%2,548$149,304$1,567,700$698 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($432K less) · larger
Portola Valley, CA 94028 54%2,647$250,000+*$2M+*$1,573 higher income ($70K more) · larger · older homes
Fall City, WA 98024 54%2,452$160,641$1,107,100$473 cheaper homes ($893K less) · 10 min longer commute · older homes
Santa Barbara, CA 93108 53%2,591$230,419$2M+*$1,802 higher income ($50K more) · larger · more renters
Edgartown, MA 02539 52%100$125,236$1,199,300$1,071 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($801K less) · larger
Scottsdale, AZ 85266 52%2,209$151,923$1,128,500$446 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($872K less) · larger
Bodega Bay, CA 94923 52%2,665$147,546$1,186,500$910 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($814K less) · smaller
Carnelian Bay, CA 96140 52%2,494$181,875$932,200$606 cheaper homes ($1068K less) · smaller · younger residents

* 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.