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 South Dennis, MA 02660

South Dennis: median income $93,386, home value $559,600, $549/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 88%140$94,349$548,600$347 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Michaels, MD 21663 88%378$89,775$650,500$438 pricier homes ($91K more) · smaller · younger residents
Rhinebeck, NY 12572 87%193$94,859$483,100$472 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Nags Head, NC 27959 87%498$91,264$490,800$424 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller
Meredith, NH 03253 85%149$84,719$482,700$354 cheaper homes ($77K less) · younger residents
Red Lodge, MT 59068 85%1,957$80,962$438,700$366 cheaper homes ($121K less) · smaller
Westbrook, CT 06498 84%122$91,202$434,300$328 cheaper homes ($125K less)
La Conner, WA 98257 84%2,546$94,425$506,200$300 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Tybee Island, GA 31328 83%892$109,631$619,800$427 pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller
New Buffalo, MI 49117 83%854$75,114$488,000$351 cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller
Cambria, CA 93428 82%2,741$99,762$932,500$691 pricier homes ($373K more)
Oak Island, NC 28465 81%691$86,194$479,500$428 cheaper homes ($80K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Eliot, ME 03903 80%103$101,522$498,900$363 cheaper homes ($61K less) · younger residents
Highlands, NC 28741 80%841$70,392$631,000$625 pricier homes ($71K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Murphys, CA 95247 80%2,639$76,333$537,400$306 smaller
Leavenworth, WA 98826 80%2,471$87,646$720,000$411 pricier homes ($160K more) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Moultonborough, NH 03254 79%153$106,440$641,300$374 pricier homes ($82K more) · more homeowners
Enfield, NH 03748 79%166$95,089$388,500$290 cheaper homes ($171K less)
Cape May, NJ 08204 79%314$82,466$461,400$536 cheaper homes ($98K less) · larger · younger residents
East Quogue, NY 11942 79%139$93,710$844,100$675 pricier homes ($285K more) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Edisto Island, SC 29438 79%843$86,979$642,400$452 pricier homes ($83K more) · smaller · newer homes
Arroyo Seco, NM 87514 79%1,916$71,556$545,200$432 smaller
Nevada City, CA 95959 79%2,636$86,524$627,100$324 pricier homes ($68K more) · larger · younger residents
Coupeville, WA 98239 79%2,555$92,125$593,700$387 pricier homes ($34K more) · 9 min longer commute · newer homes
Sisters, OR 97759 78%2,558$102,734$777,700$425 pricier homes ($218K more) · younger residents · newer homes

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.