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 Toms River, NJ 08757

Toms River: median income $58,319, home value $285,000, $272/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sebastian, FL 32958 84%914$66,840$313,900$214 pricier homes ($29K more) · newer homes
Port Charlotte, FL 33948 82%1,005$62,744$298,700$190 smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Fort Pierce, FL 34951 76%928$63,122$244,900$189 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller · younger residents
Lake Ariel, PA 18436 75%119$69,498$239,600$188 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · younger residents
Murphy, NC 28906 75%631$55,759$250,300$223 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller · younger residents
Beverly Hills, FL 34465 75%895$54,869$256,400$176 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · younger residents
Algonac, MI 48001 75%470$69,160$257,400$207 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller · younger residents
Sun City, AZ 85373 74%2,134$72,063$348,500$195 pricier homes ($64K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Spring Hill, FL 34607 73%924$66,422$398,900$282 pricier homes ($114K more) · smaller · younger residents
Edgewater, FL 32141 72%850$63,936$264,700$202 smaller · younger residents · newer homes
Hawley, PA 18428 71%115$76,538$293,800$191 smaller · younger residents
Ridgeway, SC 29130 71%536$63,963$265,500$273 smaller · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Port Charlotte, FL 33952 71%1,003$61,382$237,700$170 cheaper homes ($47K less) · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Dunnellon, FL 34431 71%883$56,534$215,500$180 cheaper homes ($70K less) · smaller · younger residents
Danbury, WI 54830 71%999$66,941$267,400$229 smaller
Gravois Mills, MO 65037 71%1,001$66,360$284,100$256 smaller · 8 min shorter commute
La Pine, OR 97739 71%2,414$58,579$370,500$286 pricier homes ($86K more) · smaller · younger residents
Waldport, OR 97394 70%2,527$60,660$374,200$301 pricier homes ($89K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Dunnellon, FL 34432 69%880$50,446$248,300$191 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller · younger residents
Inverness, FL 34450 69%894$48,763$236,100$181 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Shingletown, CA 96088 69%2,481$65,958$292,000$202 smaller
Mc Cormick, SC 29835 68%609$57,574$184,100$196 cheaper homes ($101K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Hiawassee, GA 30546 68%626$59,234$295,000$248 smaller · 8 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Lake Placid, FL 33852 68%966$54,284$213,500$198 cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller · younger residents
Hernando, FL 34442 68%892$57,259$338,600$188 pricier homes ($54K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute

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.