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 Cape May Court House, NJ 08210

Cape May Court House: median income $90,013, home value $370,500, $283/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Medical Lake, WA 99022 96%2,203$93,812$389,700$245 smaller
Creswell, OR 97426 94%2,482$90,125$488,000$284 pricier homes ($118K more) · smaller
Traverse City, MI 49685 93%678$84,590$358,500$261 Very close on everything we compare
Stoughton, WI 53589 93%796$96,226$341,000$241 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Fruita, CO 81521 93%1,808$88,458$422,900$294 pricier homes ($52K more) · newer homes
Grand Haven, MI 49417 92%652$83,405$316,300$248 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger
East Troy, WI 53120 92%754$96,345$336,300$260 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller
Elkhorn, WI 53121 92%759$85,643$313,500$222 cheaper homes ($57K less)
East Helena, MT 59635 92%1,930$83,740$395,600$277 pricier homes ($25K more) · smaller
Soldotna, AK 99669 92%3,472$80,980$320,200$269 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Swannanoa, NC 28778 91%484$73,408$303,300$256 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Helena, MT 59602 91%1,933$92,985$408,600$270 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger · newer homes
Cottonwood, CA 96022 91%2,497$89,338$366,700$261 Very close on everything we compare
Blaine, WA 98230 91%2,432$86,623$499,800$316 pricier homes ($129K more)
Kennewick, WA 99337 91%2,275$98,848$395,500$225 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger
Queensbury, NY 12804 90%295$89,127$311,400$248 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger
Lancaster, NY 14086 90%329$99,499$294,300$249 cheaper homes ($76K less) · larger
Dillsburg, PA 17019 90%137$94,423$299,300$196 cheaper homes ($71K less) · 5 min longer commute
Old Hickory, TN 37138 90%677$85,149$363,000$233 7 min longer commute
Burlington, WI 53105 90%745$88,770$318,500$227 cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger
Washington, MO 63090 90%874$85,025$273,600$189 cheaper homes ($97K less)
Eagle Point, OR 97524 90%2,489$82,933$433,100$259 pricier homes ($63K more)
Coventry, RI 02816 89%244$101,431$350,800$263 larger · older homes
Waterford, CT 06385 89%206$100,484$365,400$302 older homes
Manheim, PA 17545 89%113$84,704$288,500$201 cheaper homes ($82K less)

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.