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 Boulder Creek, CA 95006

Boulder Creek: median income $102,167, home value $843,200, $521/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Vashon, WA 98070 83%710$120,571$790,700$530 cheaper homes ($53K less) · newer homes
Centerville, MA 02632 81%2,740$121,317$616,700$486 cheaper homes ($227K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Kings Park, NY 11754 80%2,603$123,393$624,700$414 cheaper homes ($219K less) · larger
Lake Grove, NY 11755 79%2,610$119,364$601,600$387 cheaper homes ($242K less) · larger · younger residents
Hampton Bays, NY 11946 78%2,640$133,918$737,400$659 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($106K less) · larger
Honokaa, HI 96727 78%2,323$85,777$643,800$451 cheaper homes ($199K less) · smaller
Marshfield, MA 02050 76%2,717$126,241$679,700$424 cheaper homes ($164K less) · larger
Holbrook, MA 02343 76%2,701$115,032$464,700$406 cheaper homes ($379K less) · larger
East Moriches, NY 11940 75%2,629$138,639$661,600$432 higher income ($36K more) · cheaper homes ($182K less) · newer homes
Beavercreek, OR 97004 75%560$112,667$721,300$425 cheaper homes ($122K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Boring, OR 97009 75%572$106,650$647,500$335 cheaper homes ($196K less) · newer homes
Kingston, MA 02364 74%2,716$119,876$610,600$386 cheaper homes ($233K less) · larger · newer homes
Stevenson, WA 98648 74%590$96,696$555,500$380 cheaper homes ($288K less) · smaller · newer homes
Rochester, MA 02770 73%2,714$120,320$601,200$348 cheaper homes ($242K less) · newer homes
Landing, NJ 07850 73%2,530$106,806$417,900$371 cheaper homes ($425K less) · younger residents
Kapaau, HI 96755 73%2,334$96,813$722,400$648 cheaper homes ($121K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Clinton, WA 98236 73%746$94,362$668,400$423 cheaper homes ($175K less) · newer homes
Oceanport, NJ 07757 72%2,571$126,094$757,700$524 cheaper homes ($86K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Stony Point, NY 10980 72%2,560$126,284$513,700$337 cheaper homes ($330K less) · larger
Brookhaven, NY 11719 72%2,623$126,250$658,700$410 cheaper homes ($185K less) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
East Quogue, NY 11942 72%2,638$93,710$844,100$675 older residents · 8 min shorter commute · newer homes
Lunenburg, MA 01462 71%2,660$112,992$463,800$320 cheaper homes ($379K less) · larger
Bloomsbury, NJ 08804 71%2,511$107,333$462,000$271 cheaper homes ($381K less) · smaller
Rocky Point, NY 11778 71%2,618$126,349$456,500$412 cheaper homes ($387K less) · larger · younger residents
Mattituck, NY 11952 71%2,638$120,139$764,300$531 cheaper homes ($79K less) · smaller · 13 min shorter commute

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.