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 The Sea Ranch, CA 95497

The Sea Ranch: median income $138,125, home value $1,381,800, $908/sq ft, 43-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Carefree, AZ 85377 56%726$149,167$1,077,500$376 cheaper homes ($304K less) · larger · younger residents
Beach Haven, NJ 08008 51%2,606$120,054$1,165,400$1,112 cheaper homes ($216K less) · larger · younger residents
Little Compton, RI 02837 49%2,728$134,750$783,400$480 cheaper homes ($598K less) · larger · younger residents
East Marion, NY 11939 49%2,675$102,500$857,800$652 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($524K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Mantoloking, NJ 08738 48%2,606$250,000+*$1,493,200$1,040 higher income ($112K more) · pricier homes ($111K more) · younger residents
Oxford, MD 21654 48%2,522$82,772$840,000$465 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($542K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Wellfleet, MA 02667 47%2,778$121,110$855,500$627 cheaper homes ($526K less) · larger · younger residents
Folly Beach, SC 29439 46%2,456$137,396$1,043,200$781 cheaper homes ($339K less) · younger residents · 15 min shorter commute
Rio Verde, AZ 85263 44%742$145,053$851,000$357 cheaper homes ($531K less) · larger · 14 min shorter commute
Fox Island, WA 98333 44%590$172,292$1,003,900$482 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($378K less) · larger
Cutchogue, NY 11935 43%2,670$143,750$915,900$684 cheaper homes ($466K less) · larger · younger residents
Westhampton, NY 11977 43%2,663$151,375$1,077,200$568 cheaper homes ($305K less) · larger · younger residents
Chilmark, MA 02535 42%2,752$153,966$1,888,000$1,176 pricier homes ($506K more) · larger · younger residents
Ogunquit, ME 03907 42%2,728$114,259$875,700$595 cheaper homes ($506K less) · younger residents · 17 min shorter commute
Washington, CT 06793 42%2,619$121,250$1,026,800$523 cheaper homes ($355K less) · younger residents · 14 min shorter commute
Longport, NJ 08403 42%2,594$110,625$1,054,900$817 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($327K less) · younger residents
Greenbank, WA 98253 42%649$71,131$789,800$542 lower income ($67K less) · cheaper homes ($592K less) · larger
Roxbury, CT 06783 39%2,620$123,864$714,500$345 cheaper homes ($667K less) · larger · younger residents
Rye, NH 03870 38%2,724$140,938$990,700$601 cheaper homes ($391K less) · larger · younger residents
Great River, NY 11739 38%2,640$164,286$853,100$519 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($529K less) · younger residents
Langley, WA 98260 37%644$101,987$678,400$487 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($703K less) · larger
Breezy Point, NY 11697 36%2,605$122,667$720,200$594 cheaper homes ($662K less) · larger · younger residents
Franktown, CO 80116 36%1,005$146,000$960,400$308 cheaper homes ($421K less) · larger · younger residents
Scottsdale, AZ 85262 36%735$177,790$1,287,300$470 higher income ($40K more) · cheaper homes ($95K less) · larger
Harpswell, ME 04079 35%2,751$91,969$612,400$500 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($769K less) · larger

* 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.