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 Carmel By The Sea, CA 93921

Carmel By The Sea: median income $96,923, home value $2M+*, $2,015/sq ft, 15-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Avon By The Sea, NJ 07717 36%2,576$122,635$1,509,600$986 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($490K less) · younger residents
Sea Girt, NJ 08750 34%2,575$134,167$1,356,700$846 higher income ($37K more) · cheaper homes ($643K less) · younger residents
Avalon, NJ 08202 24%2,553$146,071$1,857,400$1,427 higher income ($49K more) · cheaper homes ($143K less) · younger residents
Ketchum, ID 83340 24%629$93,556$958,600$1,047 cheaper homes ($1041K less) · larger · younger residents
Wilson, WY 83014 23%755$140,473$2M+*$1,274 higher income ($44K more) · younger residents · more homeowners
Chatham, MA 02633 22%2,765$85,483$946,100$690 cheaper homes ($1054K less) · larger · younger residents
Harwich Port, MA 02646 22%2,760$81,172$896,000$850 cheaper homes ($1104K less) · younger residents · 11 min longer commute
Edgartown, MA 02539 21%2,740$125,236$1,199,300$1,071 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($801K less) · larger
West Dennis, MA 02670 20%2,755$87,019$714,100$603 cheaper homes ($1286K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Spring Lake, NJ 07762 20%2,575$116,295$927,700$705 cheaper homes ($1072K less) · larger · younger residents
Falmouth, MA 02540 19%2,734$77,295$844,500$485 cheaper homes ($1156K less) · larger · younger residents
Provincetown, MA 02657 19%2,750$136,904$902,200$1,403 higher income ($40K more) · cheaper homes ($1098K less) · larger
Beach Haven, NJ 08008 19%2,574$120,054$1,165,400$1,112 cheaper homes ($835K less) · larger · younger residents
Bradley Beach, NJ 07720 18%2,576$97,005$932,800$813 cheaper homes ($1067K less) · larger · younger residents
Ocean Grove, NJ 07756 18%2,576$89,286$790,100$707 cheaper homes ($1210K less) · younger residents · 21 min longer commute
Longport, NJ 08403 18%2,560$110,625$1,054,900$817 cheaper homes ($945K less) · smaller · younger residents
Snowmass Village, CO 81615 18%837$102,959$1,729,900$1,546 cheaper homes ($270K less) · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Nahant, MA 01908 16%2,708$112,762$748,800$558 cheaper homes ($1251K less) · younger residents · 17 min longer commute
Nantucket, MA 02554 16%2,764$140,938$1,595,700$1,581 higher income ($44K more) · cheaper homes ($404K less) · larger
South Chatham, MA 02659 16%2,762$109,453$777,000$641 cheaper homes ($1223K less) · smaller · younger residents
Charleston, SC 29401 16%2,381$99,667$1,164,800$1,028 cheaper homes ($835K less) · larger · younger residents
Rockport, MA 01966 15%2,721$96,250$746,100$545 cheaper homes ($1254K less) · larger · younger residents
Orleans, MA 02653 15%2,763$102,813$960,600$503 cheaper homes ($1039K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Naples, FL 34102 15%2,455$130,929$2M+*$974 higher income ($34K more) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Lopez Island, WA 98261 15%827$80,119$787,800$760 cheaper homes ($1212K less) · younger residents · more homeowners

* 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.