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, CA 93923

Carmel: median income $142,474, home value $1,767,800, $1,111/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Wilson, WY 83014 75%754$140,473$2M+*$1,274 pricier homes ($232K more) · smaller · newer homes
Sea Girt, NJ 08750 74%2,574$134,167$1,356,700$846 cheaper homes ($411K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 74%599$184,979$2M+*$847 higher income ($43K more) · pricier homes ($232K more) · younger residents
Sag Harbor, NY 11963 73%2,653$127,746$1,208,000$1,004 cheaper homes ($560K less) · younger residents
Honolulu, HI 96821 73%2,392$174,938$1,563,300$931 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($205K less) · larger
Southampton, NY 11968 69%2,649$156,219$1,326,600$963 cheaper homes ($441K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Isle Of Palms, SC 29451 69%2,389$156,979$1,581,300$975 cheaper homes ($187K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Beach Haven, NJ 08008 67%2,572$120,054$1,165,400$1,112 cheaper homes ($602K less) · smaller · 11 min longer commute
Incline Village, NV 89451 66%215$166,509$1,461,200$763 cheaper homes ($307K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Montauk, NY 11954 63%2,671$142,961$1,356,600$1,185 cheaper homes ($411K less) · smaller · younger residents
Zephyr Cove, NV 89448 63%202$137,586$1,369,100$833 cheaper homes ($399K less) · smaller · less walkable
Edgartown, MA 02539 62%2,739$125,236$1,199,300$1,071 cheaper homes ($569K less) · smaller · younger residents
Jamestown, RI 02835 62%2,695$140,625$842,400$616 cheaper homes ($925K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
East Hampton, NY 11937 62%2,660$129,883$1,115,100$875 cheaper homes ($653K less) · larger · younger residents
Naples, FL 34102 62%2,454$130,929$2M+*$974 pricier homes ($232K more) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Chilmark, MA 02535 60%2,729$153,966$1,888,000$1,176 pricier homes ($120K more) · smaller · younger residents
Edmonds, WA 98020 60%778$130,319$1,031,500$625 cheaper homes ($736K less) · larger · younger residents
Rye, NH 03870 59%2,709$140,938$990,700$601 cheaper homes ($777K less) · smaller · 9 min longer commute
Avalon, NJ 08202 59%2,552$146,071$1,857,400$1,427 pricier homes ($90K more) · smaller · more homeowners
West Tisbury, MA 02575 57%2,733$173,417$1,306,300— higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($462K less) · smaller
Orleans, MA 02653 56%2,762$102,813$960,600$503 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($807K less) · smaller
Sullivans Island, SC 29482 56%2,386$192,813$2M+*$1,204 higher income ($50K more) · pricier homes ($232K more) · smaller
Greenwich, CT 06831 55%2,583$227,159$1,696,000$735 higher income ($85K more) · cheaper homes ($72K less) · younger residents
Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480 54%2,468$172,500$1,131,800$998 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($636K less) · smaller
Park City, UT 84060 54%628$128,295$1,795,000$1,041 pricier homes ($27K more) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute

* 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.