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 Bolinas, CA 94924

Bolinas: median income $101,458, home value $2M+*, $1,340/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Inverness, CA 94937 76%18$78,281$1,791,700$1,089 cheaper homes ($208K less) · 10 min shorter commute
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956 74%13$82,205$1,681,300$1,141 cheaper homes ($319K less) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Pebble Beach, CA 93953 69%100$142,763$2M+*$1,305 higher income ($41K more) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Beach Haven, NJ 08008 65%2,583$120,054$1,165,400$1,112 cheaper homes ($835K less) · larger · more homeowners
Harwich Port, MA 02646 62%2,762$81,172$896,000$850 cheaper homes ($1104K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Lavallette, NJ 08735 62%2,584$76,974$872,300$1,003 cheaper homes ($1128K less) · larger
Longport, NJ 08403 60%2,571$110,625$1,054,900$817 cheaper homes ($945K less) · more homeowners · more walkable
Occidental, CA 95465 60%38$120,781$1,079,500$670 cheaper homes ($921K less) · 9 min longer commute
Chilmark, MA 02535 59%2,733$153,966$1,888,000$1,176 higher income ($53K more) · cheaper homes ($112K less) · larger
Carmel Valley, CA 93924 57%112$148,563$1,222,600$762 higher income ($47K more) · cheaper homes ($777K less) · larger
Washington, CT 06793 56%2,601$121,250$1,026,800$523 cheaper homes ($973K less)
Los Olivos, CA 93441 56%266$142,760$1,503,100$1,195 higher income ($41K more) · cheaper homes ($497K less) · 14 min shorter commute
Sea Girt, NJ 08750 55%2,583$134,167$1,356,700$846 higher income ($33K more) · cheaper homes ($643K less) · larger
Cayucos, CA 93430 55%197$89,519$1,018,200$901 cheaper homes ($982K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
East Marion, NY 11939 54%2,656$102,500$857,800$652 cheaper homes ($1142K less) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Geyserville, CA 95441 54%57$126,806$1,282,300— higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($718K less) · 10 min shorter commute
Seaside Park, NJ 08752 53%2,585$78,750$802,300$732 cheaper homes ($1198K less) · larger
Zephyr Cove, NV 89448 53%169$137,586$1,369,100$833 higher income ($36K more) · cheaper homes ($631K less) · 13 min shorter commute
Carmel, CA 93923 53%104$142,474$1,767,800$1,111 higher income ($41K more) · cheaper homes ($232K less) · larger
Forest Knolls, CA 94933 53%7$133,006$862,100$631 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($1138K less)
South Chatham, MA 02659 52%2,765$109,453$777,000$641 cheaper homes ($1223K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Wellfleet, MA 02667 52%2,761$121,110$855,500$627 cheaper homes ($1145K less) · larger
Sag Harbor, NY 11963 51%2,660$127,746$1,208,000$1,004 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($792K less) · larger
Snowmass, CO 81654 51%850$141,111$1,122,000$1,462 higher income ($40K more) · cheaper homes ($878K less) · younger residents
Wilson, WY 83014 51%729$140,473$2M+*$1,274 higher income ($39K more) · larger · younger residents

* 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.

From OfferBacked · Free

Get matched with a local agent.

Buying or selling around Columbus, OH? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.

Get matched