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 Malibu, CA 90265

Malibu: median income $196,742, home value $2M+*, $1,167/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Greenwich, CT 06831 81%2,488$227,159$1,696,000$735 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($304K less) · more single-family homes
Honolulu, HI 96821 76%2,527$174,938$1,563,300$931 cheaper homes ($437K less) · more single-family homes
Isle Of Palms, SC 29451 74%2,235$156,979$1,581,300$975 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($419K less) · smaller
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 73%391$184,979$2M+*$847 12 min shorter commute
Southampton, NY 11968 69%2,554$156,219$1,326,600$963 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($673K less) · more single-family homes
Honolulu, HI 96825 69%2,523$153,210$1,088,700$759 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($911K less) · larger
Mercer Island, WA 98040 68%952$219,069$2M+*$799 larger · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Concord, MA 01742 67%2,600$195,125$1,218,100$517 cheaper homes ($782K less)
Hingham, MA 02043 67%2,625$178,390$1,134,200$550 cheaper homes ($866K less) · larger
Woodbury, NY 11797 66%2,499$192,609$1,007,000$595 cheaper homes ($993K less) · smaller
Cos Cob, CT 06807 65%2,492$192,115$1,443,200$722 cheaper homes ($557K less) · smaller · younger residents
Rumson, NJ 07760 64%2,473$226,635$1,338,400$858 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($662K less) · smaller
Bellevue, WA 98006 63%951$198,150$1,388,500$592 cheaper homes ($612K less) · larger · younger residents
Incline Village, NV 89451 62%367$166,509$1,461,200$763 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($539K less) · smaller
New Canaan, CT 06840 61%2,496$250,000+*$1,611,900$654 higher income ($53K more) · cheaper homes ($388K less) · younger residents
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 61%961$172,188$1,155,900$553 cheaper homes ($844K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Wellesley, MA 02482 60%2,604$226,250$1,352,500$680 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($648K less) · younger residents
Cohasset, MA 02025 59%2,629$199,306$1,318,900$546 cheaper homes ($681K less) · smaller · younger residents
Rye, NY 10580 59%2,487$250,000+*$1,906,900$805 higher income ($53K more) · cheaper homes ($93K less) · younger residents
Lexington, MA 02421 58%2,607$227,813$1,205,700$558 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($794K less) · more walkable
Montauk, NY 11954 58%2,577$142,961$1,356,600$1,185 lower income ($54K less) · cheaper homes ($643K less) · smaller
Chilmark, MA 02535 57%2,638$153,966$1,888,000$1,176 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($112K less) · smaller
Redmond, WA 98053 57%956$192,292$1,213,600$615 cheaper homes ($786K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Woodinville, WA 98072 57%965$175,805$1,122,200$544 cheaper homes ($878K less) · larger · younger residents
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 56%2,493$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 higher income ($53K more) · cheaper homes ($211K less) · smaller

* 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.