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 Big Sur, CA 93920

Big Sur: median income $76,542, home value $1,906,300, $3,679/sq ft, 15-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Paia, HI 96779 47%2,338$98,929$1,090,600$4,237 cheaper homes ($816K less) · larger · 15 min longer commute
Hanalei, HI 96714 42%2,462$132,448$1,209,000$2,200 higher income ($56K more) · cheaper homes ($697K less) · 6 min longer commute
Koloa, HI 96756 33%2,467$99,274$969,800$1,130 cheaper homes ($937K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Jackson, WY 83001 28%764$124,717$1,669,100$1,299 higher income ($48K more) · cheaper homes ($237K less) · larger
Haleiwa, HI 96712 26%2,401$88,333$1,400,100$1,181 cheaper homes ($506K less) · larger · 17 min longer commute
Cordova, AK 99574 25%1,984$85,132$418,400— cheaper homes ($1488K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Telluride, CO 81435 24%773$83,076$982,600$1,306 cheaper homes ($924K less) · larger · more homeowners
Minturn, CO 81645 24%863$102,039$1,089,600$847 higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($817K less) · more homeowners
Kahuku, HI 96731 23%2,394$73,417$916,700$1,297 cheaper homes ($990K less) · larger · 17 min longer commute
Aspen, CO 81611 22%837$82,664$988,000$2,031 cheaper homes ($918K less) · larger · older residents
Snowmass Village, CO 81615 22%832$102,959$1,729,900$1,546 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($176K less) · larger
Waimea, HI 96796 19%2,476$89,205$769,700$627 cheaper homes ($1137K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Basalt, CO 81621 18%830$104,754$1,136,600$1,250 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($770K less) · larger
Stateline, NV 89449 18%212$83,988$1,065,700$627 cheaper homes ($841K less) · larger · older residents
Montauk, NY 11954 17%2,669$142,961$1,356,600$1,185 higher income ($66K more) · cheaper homes ($550K less) · larger
Gardiner, MT 59030 17%843$56,542$593,000$812 cheaper homes ($1313K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Gallatin Gateway, MT 59730 17%831$98,305$1,014,200$801 cheaper homes ($892K less) · larger · 13 min longer commute
Dillon, CO 80435 17%887$97,463$941,600$927 cheaper homes ($965K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Princeville, HI 96722 17%2,456$100,938$1,431,600$974 cheaper homes ($475K less) · larger · older residents
Nantucket, MA 02554 16%2,761$140,938$1,595,700$1,581 higher income ($64K more) · cheaper homes ($311K less) · larger
Snowmass, CO 81654 16%827$141,111$1,122,000$1,462 higher income ($65K more) · cheaper homes ($784K less) · older residents
Kilauea, HI 96754 16%2,452$90,353$1,227,600$927 cheaper homes ($679K less) · larger · older residents
Lahaina, HI 96761 16%2,354$101,123$995,800$849 cheaper homes ($911K less) · larger · older residents
Hillburn, NY 10931 15%2,554$83,365$487,000— cheaper homes ($1419K less) · younger residents · 10 min longer commute
Vail, CO 81657 15%869$100,573$1,501,800$1,169 cheaper homes ($405K less) · larger · older residents

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.