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 Carnelian Bay, CA 96140

Carnelian Bay: median income $181,875, home value $932,200, $606/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Essex, MA 01929 71%2,547$156,442$902,000$416 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
Fall City, WA 98024 71%583$160,641$1,107,100$473 pricier homes ($175K more) · larger · 10 min longer commute
North Falmouth, MA 02556 69%2,570$121,810$717,800$491 lower income ($60K less) · cheaper homes ($214K less) · larger
Greenland, NH 03840 69%2,538$162,837$662,800$390 cheaper homes ($269K less) · larger · less walkable
Gladstone, NJ 07934 69%2,379$245,429$845,500$451 higher income ($64K more) · cheaper homes ($87K less) · 8 min longer commute
West Tisbury, MA 02575 68%2,573$173,417$1,306,300— pricier homes ($374K more) · larger · older residents
Stirling, NJ 07980 68%2,389$162,955$689,200$446 cheaper homes ($243K less) · larger · younger residents
Brielle, NJ 08730 68%2,420$172,250$849,100$641 cheaper homes ($83K less) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Dorset, VT 05251 67%2,425$151,163$567,900$300 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($364K less) · less walkable
Newton Lower Falls, MA 02462 66%2,528$216,339$1,210,700$500 higher income ($34K more) · pricier homes ($279K more) · older residents
Bryn Athyn, PA 19009 66%2,368$137,188$671,200— lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($261K less) · more renters
Topsfield, MA 01983 65%2,539$195,718$853,400$402 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Cataumet, MA 02534 65%2,570$137,066$685,600$407 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($247K less) · older residents
Saunderstown, RI 02874 64%2,531$159,861$713,700$396 cheaper homes ($219K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Millington, NJ 07946 64%2,388$208,587$801,700$417 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($131K less) · larger
Palisades, NY 10964 64%2,413$187,396$767,500$353 cheaper homes ($165K less) · 9 min longer commute · less walkable
Newfields, NH 03856 63%2,532$197,885$646,400$371 cheaper homes ($286K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
North Hampton, NH 03862 63%2,540$144,583$670,400$496 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($262K less) · larger
Nashville, TN 37220 63%1,825$180,417$818,200$392 cheaper homes ($114K less) · larger · less walkable
Lyme, NH 03768 62%2,464$133,906$645,000$357 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($287K less) · less walkable
Old Bethpage, NY 11804 62%2,440$190,469$848,500$534 cheaper homes ($84K less) · larger · 12 min longer commute
Jamestown, RI 02835 61%2,534$140,625$842,400$616 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($90K less) · larger
Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107 61%2,561$146,054$729,800$426 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($202K less) · larger
Pequannock, NJ 07440 61%2,395$147,188$591,500$422 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($341K less) · larger
Oakhurst, NJ 07755 61%2,420$134,338$768,400$582 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($164K 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.