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 Gualala, CA 95445

Gualala: median income $127,206, home value $707,200, $471/sq ft, 12-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
West Barnstable, MA 02668 81%2,765$111,731$709,300$459 8 min longer commute · newer homes
Sheffield, MA 01257 70%2,610$102,788$441,000$299 cheaper homes ($266K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Dundee, OR 97115 70%447$117,446$526,200$336 cheaper homes ($181K less) · 10 min longer commute · more homeowners
Manhattan, MT 59741 68%787$90,947$615,200$382 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($92K less) · larger
Kalaheo, HI 96741 68%2,420$110,873$953,200$696 pricier homes ($246K more) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Mount Hood Parkdale, OR 97041 67%471$82,679$705,600$416 lower income ($45K less) · 8 min longer commute
Salisbury, CT 06068 66%2,608$123,552$842,200$461 pricier homes ($135K more) · 14 min longer commute
Washington Depot, CT 06794 66%2,618$96,979$733,100$431 lower income ($30K less) · pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller
Brookhaven, NY 11719 66%2,654$126,250$658,700$410 cheaper homes ($49K less) · 16 min longer commute · more homeowners
Mattituck, NY 11952 66%2,669$120,139$764,300$531 pricier homes ($57K more) · larger · older residents
The Plains, VA 20198 65%2,437$106,518$933,000$521 pricier homes ($226K more) · 13 min longer commute
Modena, NY 12548 64%2,579$132,083$428,800— cheaper homes ($278K less) · smaller · 11 min longer commute
Lexington, KY 40510 64%2,092$161,938$695,400$207 higher income ($35K more) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Exeter, RI 02822 63%2,706$112,813$520,100$345 cheaper homes ($187K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute
York, ME 03909 63%2,728$115,608$638,400$414 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger · older residents
Newcastle, ME 04553 62%2,770$89,868$398,000$321 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($309K less) · older residents
Nobleboro, ME 04555 62%2,772$100,417$352,600$348 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($355K less) · older residents
Rockport, ME 04856 62%2,790$86,979$469,000$293 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($238K less) · older residents
Fairfield, NJ 07004 62%2,581$115,980$688,500$393 larger · older residents · 9 min longer commute
Buena Vista, CO 81211 62%935$88,083$677,400$409 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
Loma, CO 81524 62%790$99,947$665,600$369 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($42K less) · younger residents
Custer, WA 98240 62%700$110,116$619,700$340 cheaper homes ($88K less) · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Southampton, MA 01073 61%2,640$123,125$452,300$303 cheaper homes ($255K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Plainfield, NH 03781 61%2,643$109,659$426,400$270 cheaper homes ($281K less) · 8 min longer commute · more homeowners
Eliot, ME 03903 61%2,722$101,522$498,900$363 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($208K less) · larger

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.