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 Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Laguna Beach: median income $146,604, home value $2M+*, $1,677/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Honolulu, HI 96821 63%2,575$174,938$1,563,300$931 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($437K less) · more homeowners
Greenwich, CT 06830 62%2,455$146,654$1,660,700$858 cheaper homes ($339K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Mercer Island, WA 98040 58%996$219,069$2M+*$799 higher income ($72K more) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Avon By The Sea, NJ 07717 55%2,437$122,635$1,509,600$986 cheaper homes ($490K less) · smaller · more walkable
Sea Girt, NJ 08750 55%2,436$134,167$1,356,700$846 cheaper homes ($643K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Honolulu, HI 96825 55%2,572$153,210$1,088,700$759 cheaper homes ($911K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Edmonds, WA 98020 55%1,014$130,319$1,031,500$625 cheaper homes ($969K less)
Spring Lake, NJ 07762 53%2,436$116,295$927,700$705 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($1072K less) · smaller
Incline Village, NV 89451 53%413$166,509$1,461,200$763 cheaper homes ($539K less) · smaller · younger residents
Kailua, HI 96734 53%2,571$132,782$1,367,600$904 cheaper homes ($632K less) · larger · younger residents
Nantucket, MA 02554 52%2,637$140,938$1,595,700$1,581 cheaper homes ($404K less) · smaller · younger residents
Port Washington, NY 11050 52%2,452$154,225$1,035,400$718 cheaper homes ($965K less) · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Isle Of Palms, SC 29451 52%2,186$156,979$1,581,300$975 cheaper homes ($419K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 52%335$184,979$2M+*$847 higher income ($38K more) · 9 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Southampton, NY 11968 51%2,519$156,219$1,326,600$963 cheaper homes ($673K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Bellevue, WA 98008 51%998$184,583$1,206,200$671 higher income ($38K more) · cheaper homes ($794K less) · younger residents
Greenwich, CT 06831 50%2,453$227,159$1,696,000$735 higher income ($81K more) · cheaper homes ($304K less) · smaller
Wilson, WY 83014 50%782$140,473$2M+*$1,274 smaller · 10 min shorter commute · less walkable
Montauk, NY 11954 49%2,542$142,961$1,356,600$1,185 cheaper homes ($643K less) · smaller · younger residents
Miami, FL 33156 49%2,303$137,076$1,120,100$619 cheaper homes ($880K less) · younger residents
Naples, FL 34102 49%2,205$130,929$2M+*$974 smaller · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Cos Cob, CT 06807 48%2,456$192,115$1,443,200$722 higher income ($46K more) · cheaper homes ($557K less) · smaller
Summit, NJ 07901 48%2,417$179,701$987,900$715 higher income ($33K more) · cheaper homes ($1012K less) · younger residents
Beach Haven, NJ 08008 48%2,430$120,054$1,165,400$1,112 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($835K less) · smaller
Honolulu, HI 96816 48%2,578$114,609$1,168,800$730 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($831K less) · larger

* 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.