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 Yarmouth, MA 02664

South Yarmouth: median income $82,125, home value $551,400, $474/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Meredith, NH 03253 90%151$84,719$482,700$354 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Westbrook, CT 06498 88%120$91,202$434,300$328 cheaper homes ($117K less)
Cape May, NJ 08204 88%311$82,466$461,400$536 cheaper homes ($90K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Carson City, NV 89703 87%2,578$85,230$626,500$330 pricier homes ($75K more)
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 86%142$94,349$548,600$347 smaller
Rhinebeck, NY 12572 86%191$94,859$483,100$472 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Niantic, CT 06357 85%107$93,026$397,300$301 cheaper homes ($154K less)
Camino, CA 95709 85%2,633$79,780$578,700$298 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller · younger residents
Westerly, RI 02891 84%86$97,110$470,000$369 cheaper homes ($81K less) · larger
Eliot, ME 03903 84%105$101,522$498,900$363 cheaper homes ($53K less)
New Buffalo, MI 49117 84%852$75,114$488,000$351 cheaper homes ($63K less) · smaller
Saint Michaels, MD 21663 83%375$89,775$650,500$438 pricier homes ($99K more) · smaller
Nevada City, CA 95959 83%2,634$86,524$627,100$324 pricier homes ($76K more) · larger · newer homes
Greenville, RI 02828 82%72$97,196$440,900$291 cheaper homes ($111K less)
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 82%490$86,193$437,500$368 cheaper homes ($114K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Key Largo, FL 33037 82%1,287$86,533$683,000$582 pricier homes ($132K more) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Murphys, CA 95247 82%2,637$76,333$537,400$306 smaller · newer homes
Leavenworth, WA 98826 82%2,470$87,646$720,000$411 pricier homes ($169K more) · newer homes
Kennebunkport, ME 04046 81%120$102,529$586,100$434 pricier homes ($35K more) · younger residents · less walkable
Red Lodge, MT 59068 81%1,956$80,962$438,700$366 cheaper homes ($113K less) · smaller
Palisade, CO 81526 81%2,000$87,500$501,800$337 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller · less walkable
Auburn, CA 95603 81%2,649$85,357$650,500$369 pricier homes ($99K more) · larger · younger residents
Boulder City, NV 89005 80%2,408$74,375$435,600$289 cheaper homes ($116K less) · larger
Idyllwild, CA 92549 80%2,569$73,750$532,300$340 smaller · younger residents
Sutter Creek, CA 95685 80%2,647$83,878$569,100$283 smaller

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.