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 Occidental, CA 95465

Occidental: median income $120,781, home value $1,079,500, $670/sq ft, 41-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Wellfleet, MA 02667 81%2,763$121,110$855,500$627 cheaper homes ($224K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
East Marion, NY 11939 73%2,659$102,500$857,800$652 cheaper homes ($222K less) · older residents · older homes
Middleburg, VA 20117 73%2,416$146,120$937,100$395 higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($142K less) · larger
Washington, CT 06793 70%2,603$121,250$1,026,800$523 cheaper homes ($53K less) · 13 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Indianola, WA 98342 70%646$102,778$698,500$414 cheaper homes ($381K less) · newer homes
Rye, NH 03870 68%2,710$140,938$990,700$601 cheaper homes ($89K less) · larger · 12 min shorter commute
Roxbury, CT 06783 68%2,604$123,864$714,500$345 cheaper homes ($365K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Fontana, WI 53125 68%1,819$112,500$593,800$434 cheaper homes ($486K less) · larger · 10 min shorter commute
Little Compton, RI 02837 67%2,712$134,750$783,400$480 cheaper homes ($296K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Oceanport, NJ 07757 66%2,586$126,094$757,700$524 cheaper homes ($322K less) · larger · younger residents
Carefree, AZ 85377 66%694$149,167$1,077,500$376 higher income ($28K more) · larger · older residents
Breezy Point, NY 11697 65%2,588$122,667$720,200$594 cheaper homes ($359K less) · larger · younger residents
Cutchogue, NY 11935 65%2,653$143,750$915,900$684 cheaper homes ($164K less) · larger · 12 min shorter commute
Vashon, WA 98070 65%624$120,571$790,700$530 cheaper homes ($289K less) · larger · younger residents
Fox Island, WA 98333 64%611$172,292$1,003,900$482 higher income ($52K more) · cheaper homes ($76K less) · larger
Longport, NJ 08403 63%2,576$110,625$1,054,900$817 older residents · 10 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Grand Lake, CO 80447 63%923$96,000$632,400$444 cheaper homes ($447K less) · larger · 10 min shorter commute
Bayville, NY 11709 62%2,600$149,191$710,000$454 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($370K less) · larger
Great River, NY 11739 62%2,623$164,286$853,100$519 higher income ($44K more) · cheaper homes ($226K less) · younger residents
East Quogue, NY 11942 62%2,651$93,710$844,100$675 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($235K less) · larger
Kure Beach, NC 28449 62%2,507$107,563$759,700$410 cheaper homes ($320K less) · larger · 12 min shorter commute
Ridgway, CO 81432 62%826$90,882$836,200$527 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($243K less) · larger
Ogunquit, ME 03907 61%2,714$114,259$875,700$595 cheaper homes ($204K less) · older residents · 15 min shorter commute
Essex, CT 06426 61%2,652$103,705$729,200$433 cheaper homes ($350K less) · larger · more walkable
Lavallette, NJ 08735 61%2,589$76,974$872,300$1,003 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($207K 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.