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 Cayucos, CA 93430

Cayucos: median income $89,519, home value $1,018,200, $901/sq ft, 40-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lavallette, NJ 08735 78%2,549$76,974$872,300$1,003 cheaper homes ($146K less) · more homeowners
Seaside Park, NJ 08752 73%2,549$78,750$802,300$732 cheaper homes ($216K less) · 5 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Waialua, HI 96791 66%2,437$97,470$977,400$861 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger · younger residents
East Quogue, NY 11942 64%2,618$93,710$844,100$675 cheaper homes ($174K less) · larger · younger residents
Islamorada, FL 33036 64%2,493$86,032$1,017,400$728 12 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Seaside Heights, NJ 08751 62%2,549$77,448$628,500$569 cheaper homes ($390K less) · 9 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Grand Lake, CO 80447 62%883$96,000$632,400$444 cheaper homes ($386K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Wellfleet, MA 02667 61%2,739$121,110$855,500$627 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($163K less) · more homeowners
Summerland Key, FL 33042 61%2,452$103,041$856,500$854 cheaper homes ($162K less) · larger · younger residents
Rockport, MA 01966 60%2,703$96,250$746,100$545 cheaper homes ($272K less) · larger · 10 min shorter commute
Pocasset, MA 02559 59%2,712$90,855$625,400$413 cheaper homes ($393K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Essex, CT 06426 58%2,623$103,705$729,200$433 cheaper homes ($289K less) · more homeowners
East Marion, NY 11939 58%2,628$102,500$857,800$652 cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller · older residents
Longport, NJ 08403 56%2,531$110,625$1,054,900$817 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716 54%2,547$126,591$647,400$474 higher income ($37K more) · cheaper homes ($371K less) · larger
Oceanport, NJ 07757 54%2,549$126,094$757,700$524 higher income ($37K more) · cheaper homes ($261K less) · larger
North Chatham, MA 02650 53%2,744$66,548$1,135,100$673 pricier homes ($117K more) · smaller · older residents
Vashon, WA 98070 53%832$120,571$790,700$530 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($228K less) · larger
Leavenworth, WA 98826 53%843$87,646$720,000$411 cheaper homes ($298K less) · larger · younger residents
Dennis Port, MA 02639 52%2,736$72,567$514,200$667 cheaper homes ($504K less) · younger residents · 12 min shorter commute
Spring Lake, NJ 07762 52%2,549$116,295$927,700$705 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger
Beach Haven, NJ 08008 51%2,546$120,054$1,165,400$1,112 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($147K more) · larger
Big Pine Key, FL 33043 51%2,460$110,491$638,000$651 cheaper homes ($380K less) · younger residents · 9 min shorter commute
Clinton, WA 98236 51%868$94,362$668,400$423 cheaper homes ($350K less) · larger · younger residents
Indianola, WA 98342 51%854$102,778$698,500$414 cheaper homes ($320K less) · smaller · more homeowners

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.