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 Hampton, NH 03842

Hampton: median income $95,422, home value $548,500, $423/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Salisbury, MA 01952 94%6$93,361$478,700$408 cheaper homes ($70K less) · smaller
Key Largo, FL 33037 89%1,349$86,533$683,000$582 pricier homes ($135K more)
Westerly, RI 02891 88%120$97,110$470,000$369 cheaper homes ($79K less) · more single-family homes
Kennebunk, ME 04043 88%34$107,804$487,700$378 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Saint Augustine, FL 32080 88%1,076$92,531$535,800$339 Very close on everything we compare
Mashpee, MA 02649 87%93$95,299$562,200$420 more single-family homes
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444 85%225$117,959$539,000$431 Very close on everything we compare
Jupiter, FL 33469 85%1,219$106,265$615,700$480 pricier homes ($67K more) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Eatontown, NJ 07724 84%247$102,756$522,100$381 cheaper homes ($26K less) · younger residents · more walkable
Santa Rosa, CA 95409 84%2,689$107,867$802,000$445 pricier homes ($254K more) · larger
Brigantine, NJ 08203 83%305$97,250$524,800$496 smaller · more walkable
Rhinebeck, NY 12572 83%171$94,859$483,100$472 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Carolina Beach, NC 28428 83%724$93,241$572,700$417 smaller
Buzzards Bay, MA 02532 82%83$87,773$497,600$374 cheaper homes ($51K less) · more single-family homes
Branford, CT 06405 82%153$105,225$401,200$286 cheaper homes ($147K less) · larger
Gulf Breeze, FL 32561 82%1,251$115,799$616,000$491 pricier homes ($68K more) · smaller
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951 81%1,165$98,420$567,300$354 older residents
Jensen Beach, FL 34957 81%1,206$70,403$416,700$330 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($132K less)
Saco, ME 04072 80%44$92,241$413,100$329 cheaper homes ($135K less) · younger residents
Wells, ME 04090 80%29$88,024$485,300$380 cheaper homes ($63K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 80%918$97,948$639,400$351 pricier homes ($91K more) · 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Palisade, CO 81526 80%1,959$87,500$501,800$337 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Palm Desert, CA 92211 80%2,514$88,477$583,900$305 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger · older residents
Olympia, WA 98506 80%2,511$91,596$490,900$298 cheaper homes ($58K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Lenox, MA 01240 79%130$107,826$470,400$314 cheaper homes ($78K less) · 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.