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 Sullivans Island, SC 29482

Sullivans Island: median income $192,813, home value $2M+*, $1,204/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Water Mill, NY 11976 84%699$180,250$2M+*$943 newer homes
Wilson, WY 83014 80%1,829$140,473$2M+*$1,274 lower income ($52K less)
Medina, WA 98039 77%2,424$250,000+*$2M+*$1,193 higher income ($57K more) · younger residents · more walkable
Portola Valley, CA 94028 76%2,398$250,000+*$2M+*$1,573 higher income ($57K more) · larger · older homes
Los Angeles, CA 90077 74%2,215$206,319$2M+*$970 larger · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Chilmark, MA 02535 70%776$153,966$1,888,000$1,176 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($112K less) · 12 min longer commute
Santa Barbara, CA 93108 70%2,277$230,419$2M+*$1,802 higher income ($38K more) · larger
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 68%1,851$184,979$2M+*$847 larger
Pebble Beach, CA 93953 67%2,388$142,763$2M+*$1,305 lower income ($50K less) · larger · older residents
West Tisbury, MA 02575 65%783$173,417$1,306,300— cheaper homes ($694K less)
Los Olivos, CA 93441 65%2,303$142,760$1,503,100$1,195 lower income ($50K less) · cheaper homes ($497K less) · smaller
Alpine, NJ 07620 63%653$246,944$2M+*$792 higher income ($54K more) · 14 min longer commute
Atherton, CA 94027 60%2,396$250,000+*$2M+*$2,451 higher income ($57K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Del Mar, CA 92014 59%2,159$198,823$2M+*$1,248 larger · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 59%2,157$187,054$2M+*$1,153 larger · younger residents · 15 min longer commute
Alamo, CA 94507 59%2,384$250,000+*$2M+*$875 higher income ($57K more) · larger · 12 min longer commute
Carmel, CA 93923 56%2,386$142,474$1,767,800$1,111 lower income ($50K less) · cheaper homes ($232K less) · larger
Montara, CA 94037 56%2,412$233,826$1,580,700$685 higher income ($41K more) · cheaper homes ($419K less) · 14 min longer commute
Villa Park, CA 92861 55%2,182$202,245$1,871,700$625 cheaper homes ($128K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Los Altos, CA 94022 54%2,392$250,000+*$2M+*$1,793 higher income ($57K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Los Gatos, CA 95030 54%2,386$250,000+*$2M+*$1,354 higher income ($57K more) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Avalon, NJ 08202 53%522$146,071$1,857,400$1,427 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($143K less) · older residents
Newport Coast, CA 92657 53%2,185$185,042$2M+*$1,653 larger · younger residents · 9 min longer commute
Greenwich, CT 06831 52%666$227,159$1,696,000$735 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($304K less) · larger
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 52%2,220$189,713$2M+*$1,150 larger · 10 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes

* 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.