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 Margate City, NJ 08402

Margate City: median income $121,800, home value $708,800, $745/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Edmonds, WA 98020 74%2,426$130,319$1,031,500$625 pricier homes ($323K more) · larger · younger residents
Essex, CT 06426 71%179$103,705$729,200$433 smaller · 10 min longer commute
Old Saybrook, CT 06475 69%176$114,333$538,200$434 cheaper homes ($171K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Jamestown, RI 02835 67%224$140,625$842,400$616 pricier homes ($134K more) · more single-family homes · less walkable
Newburyport, MA 01950 66%306$139,625$834,000$552 pricier homes ($125K more) · larger · younger residents
Hull, MA 02045 66%279$115,485$646,000$432 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
North Weymouth, MA 02191 66%274$120,324$526,900$481 cheaper homes ($182K less) · larger · younger residents
Flourtown, PA 19031 66%65$134,592$579,300$331 cheaper homes ($130K less) · younger residents · older homes
Nahant, MA 01908 65%284$112,762$748,800$558 pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller · older homes
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306 65%965$95,542$486,000$590 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($223K less) · smaller
Rockport, MA 01966 64%307$96,250$746,100$545 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($37K more) · more renters
Stonington, CT 06378 64%196$135,714$593,400$407 cheaper homes ($115K less) · more renters · less walkable
Saint Petersburg, FL 33706 64%929$104,359$655,800$455 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · older residents
Novato, CA 94945 64%2,561$107,790$1,124,100$560 pricier homes ($415K more) · larger · younger residents
Pismo Beach, CA 93449 63%2,527$118,072$1,021,300$777 pricier homes ($313K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Little Neck, NY 11363 62%108$125,015$1,053,800$697 pricier homes ($345K more) · 11 min longer commute · more renters
Summerland Key, FL 33042 62%1,092$103,041$856,500$854 pricier homes ($148K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Phoenix, AZ 85028 61%2,106$125,054$642,200$365 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger · younger residents
San Pedro, CA 90732 61%2,438$120,807$857,000$483 pricier homes ($148K more) · larger · younger residents
Morro Bay, CA 93442 61%2,532$95,623$918,700$629 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($210K more) · larger
Wellfleet, MA 02667 60%296$121,110$855,500$627 pricier homes ($147K more) · 7 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Carle Place, NY 11514 60%109$151,964$722,500$534 higher income ($30K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Tybee Island, GA 31328 60%618$109,631$619,800$427 cheaper homes ($89K less) · smaller · less walkable
Garden Grove, CA 92845 60%2,422$136,485$926,200$738 pricier homes ($217K more) · larger · younger residents
Sagamore Beach, MA 02562 59%270$120,000$591,000$498 cheaper homes ($118K 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.