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.

Reset

Towns most like Bolinas, CA 94924

Bolinas: median income $101,458, home value $2M+*, $1,340/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Beach Haven, NJ 08008 65%2,583$120,054$1,165,400$1,112 cheaper homes ($835K less) · larger · more homeowners
Harwich Port, MA 02646 62%2,762$81,172$896,000$850 cheaper homes ($1104K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Lavallette, NJ 08735 62%2,584$76,974$872,300$1,003 cheaper homes ($1128K less) · larger
Longport, NJ 08403 60%2,571$110,625$1,054,900$817 cheaper homes ($945K less) · more homeowners · more walkable
Chilmark, MA 02535 59%2,733$153,966$1,888,000$1,176 higher income ($53K more) · cheaper homes ($112K less) · larger
Washington, CT 06793 56%2,601$121,250$1,026,800$523 cheaper homes ($973K less)
Sea Girt, NJ 08750 55%2,583$134,167$1,356,700$846 higher income ($33K more) · cheaper homes ($643K less) · larger
East Marion, NY 11939 54%2,656$102,500$857,800$652 cheaper homes ($1142K less) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Seaside Park, NJ 08752 53%2,585$78,750$802,300$732 cheaper homes ($1198K less) · larger
Zephyr Cove, NV 89448 53%169$137,586$1,369,100$833 higher income ($36K more) · cheaper homes ($631K less) · 13 min shorter commute
South Chatham, MA 02659 52%2,765$109,453$777,000$641 cheaper homes ($1223K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Wellfleet, MA 02667 52%2,761$121,110$855,500$627 cheaper homes ($1145K less) · larger
Sag Harbor, NY 11963 51%2,660$127,746$1,208,000$1,004 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($792K less) · larger
Snowmass, CO 81654 51%850$141,111$1,122,000$1,462 higher income ($40K more) · cheaper homes ($878K less) · younger residents
Wilson, WY 83014 51%729$140,473$2M+*$1,274 higher income ($39K more) · larger · younger residents
Chatham, MA 02633 50%2,767$85,483$946,100$690 cheaper homes ($1054K less) · larger · 11 min shorter commute
North Chatham, MA 02650 50%2,767$66,548$1,135,100$673 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($865K less) · older residents
Islamorada, FL 33036 50%2,612$86,032$1,017,400$728 cheaper homes ($983K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Ogunquit, ME 03907 49%2,714$114,259$875,700$595 cheaper homes ($1124K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Avalon, NJ 08202 49%2,564$146,071$1,857,400$1,427 higher income ($45K more) · cheaper homes ($143K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Rye, NH 03870 48%2,709$140,938$990,700$601 higher income ($39K more) · cheaper homes ($1009K less) · larger
Cutchogue, NY 11935 48%2,650$143,750$915,900$684 higher income ($42K more) · cheaper homes ($1084K less) · larger
East Quogue, NY 11942 48%2,648$93,710$844,100$675 cheaper homes ($1156K less) · larger · younger residents
Avon By The Sea, NJ 07717 47%2,584$122,635$1,509,600$986 cheaper homes ($490K less) · younger residents · more walkable
Folly Beach, SC 29439 47%2,418$137,396$1,043,200$781 higher income ($36K more) · cheaper homes ($957K less) · 5 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.