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 Bethany Beach, DE 19930

Bethany Beach: median income $125,491, home value $887,400, $529/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sanibel, FL 33957 84%929$108,644$957,300$572 pricier homes ($70K more) · larger
Ogunquit, ME 03907 80%401$114,259$875,700$595 smaller
Vero Beach, FL 32963 79%809$149,923$943,900$438 pricier homes ($57K more) · larger
Indian Wells, CA 92210 78%2,308$162,990$1,078,200$532 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($191K more) · larger
Sapphire, NC 28774 73%500$154,635$797,900$399 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($90K less) · smaller
Folly Beach, SC 29439 73%489$137,396$1,043,200$781 pricier homes ($156K more) · smaller · younger residents
Osprey, FL 34229 72%894$103,657$692,700$306 cheaper homes ($195K less) · larger
Belleair Beach, FL 33786 71%859$163,125$1,053,000$593 higher income ($38K more) · pricier homes ($166K more) · smaller
Orleans, MA 02653 69%350$102,813$960,600$503 pricier homes ($73K more) · larger · more renters
Westhampton, NY 11977 67%203$151,375$1,077,200$568 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($190K more) · younger residents
Bradenton, FL 34201 67%880$124,863$670,300$271 cheaper homes ($217K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Osterville, MA 02655 65%327$118,750$806,300$571 cheaper homes ($81K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Monmouth Beach, NJ 07750 65%137$150,188$995,000$636 pricier homes ($108K more) · younger residents · 10 min longer commute
Tybee Island, GA 31328 65%556$109,631$619,800$427 cheaper homes ($268K less) · younger residents
Rio Verde, AZ 85263 65%2,056$145,053$851,000$357 cheaper homes ($36K less) · 7 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Jamestown, RI 02835 64%284$140,625$842,400$616 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger · younger residents
Corolla, NC 27927 64%158$120,568$714,700$351 cheaper homes ($173K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Emerald Isle, NC 28594 64%288$89,773$603,700$474 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($284K less) · younger residents
Naples, FL 34108 64%935$119,212$1,022,000$589 pricier homes ($135K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Rosemary Beach, FL 32461 63%845$145,706$1,095,100$630 pricier homes ($208K more) · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Brewster, MA 02631 62%345$102,132$700,500$488 cheaper homes ($187K less) · larger · younger residents
Cumberland Foreside, ME 04110 61%441$194,205$923,600$428 higher income ($69K more) · pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Douglas, MI 49406 61%649$102,500$497,100$426 cheaper homes ($390K less) · smaller · younger residents
Longport, NJ 08403 60%62$110,625$1,054,900$817 pricier homes ($168K more) · smaller · 9 min longer commute
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 60%544$97,576$797,700$489 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($90K less) · larger

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.