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 Cape May, NJ 08204

Cape May: median income $82,466, home value $461,400, $536/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
South Yarmouth, MA 02664 88%311$82,125$551,400$474 pricier homes ($90K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Buzzards Bay, MA 02532 86%298$87,773$497,600$374 pricier homes ($36K more) · 8 min longer commute
Westerly, RI 02891 86%233$97,110$470,000$369 5 min longer commute
West Yarmouth, MA 02673 85%309$73,854$502,200$411 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller
Carson City, NV 89703 85%2,381$85,230$626,500$330 pricier homes ($165K more) · smaller
Westbrook, CT 06498 83%207$91,202$434,300$328 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Key Largo, FL 33037 82%1,012$86,533$683,000$582 pricier homes ($222K more) · 7 min longer commute
Sarasota, FL 34239 82%917$80,923$475,700$371 more walkable · older homes
Charlevoix, MI 49720 82%683$77,603$297,500$435 cheaper homes ($164K less) · smaller · less walkable
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 81%209$86,193$437,500$368 younger residents
Boulder City, NV 89005 81%2,181$74,375$435,600$289 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Port Townsend, WA 98368 81%2,437$69,688$554,300$385 pricier homes ($93K more) · older residents
Auburn, CA 95603 80%2,453$85,357$650,500$369 pricier homes ($189K more) · larger · younger residents
South Dennis, MA 02660 79%314$93,386$559,600$549 pricier homes ($98K more) · smaller · older residents
South Dartmouth, MA 02748 79%274$97,361$521,800$377 pricier homes ($60K more) · 7 min longer commute · older homes
Traverse City, MI 49684 79%679$80,788$420,200$332 cheaper homes ($41K less) · younger residents
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814 78%2,160$74,782$589,600$419 pricier homes ($128K more) · larger · younger residents
Florence, MA 01062 77%259$87,588$421,000$358 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller · older homes
Great Barrington, MA 01230 77%237$86,694$527,300$378 pricier homes ($66K more) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Niantic, CT 06357 77%217$93,026$397,300$301 cheaper homes ($64K less) · 7 min longer commute
Rhinebeck, NY 12572 77%211$94,859$483,100$472 smaller · 8 min longer commute
Safety Harbor, FL 34695 77%879$95,238$439,300$316 7 min longer commute
Sandpoint, ID 83864 77%2,149$70,496$516,500$381 pricier homes ($55K more) · younger residents · less walkable
Prescott, AZ 86303 77%2,082$72,359$563,000$321 pricier homes ($102K more) · older residents · less walkable
Port Hadlock, WA 98339 77%2,436$77,778$409,800$350 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller · younger residents

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.