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 Ocean View, DE 19970

Ocean View: median income $94,103, home value $526,600, $266/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ocean Isle Beach, NC 28469 94%372$90,684$463,200$244 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Pawleys Island, SC 29585 90%419$81,946$463,400$273 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger
Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657 89%1,431$91,452$483,200$281 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Boynton Beach, FL 33472 88%882$101,959$446,200$256 cheaper homes ($80K less) · larger
Nokomis, FL 34275 88%897$89,369$473,400$250 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · older homes
Sunset Beach, NC 28468 86%375$83,358$412,000$244 cheaper homes ($115K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951 86%793$98,420$567,300$354 pricier homes ($41K more) · older homes
Flagler Beach, FL 32136 85%716$78,818$471,000$280 cheaper homes ($56K less) · older homes
Estero, FL 33928 85%924$102,624$465,500$248 cheaper homes ($61K less) · larger
Gold Canyon, AZ 85118 85%2,046$86,393$481,700$244 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Southport, NC 28461 84%357$82,692$428,600$247 cheaper homes ($98K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Fort Myers, FL 33912 84%920$103,194$409,100$200 cheaper homes ($118K less) · larger
Fountain Hills, AZ 85268 84%2,060$112,795$623,400$336 pricier homes ($97K more) · larger
Placida, FL 33946 83%911$85,848$660,800$247 pricier homes ($134K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Sarasota, FL 34238 83%891$97,926$574,600$255 pricier homes ($48K more) · larger · more renters
Salem, SC 29676 81%504$92,798$416,800$270 cheaper homes ($110K less) · more single-family homes
Boynton Beach, FL 33437 81%881$80,710$424,200$228 cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger
Naples, FL 34114 81%945$89,334$538,000$320 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Osprey, FL 34229 81%895$103,657$692,700$306 pricier homes ($166K more) · more walkable
Delray Beach, FL 33446 80%887$80,187$460,800$257 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger · older homes
Seneca, SC 29672 79%507$90,650$482,100$271 cheaper homes ($45K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Punta Gorda, FL 33950 79%900$76,369$433,800$246 cheaper homes ($93K less) · larger
Venice, FL 34292 79%897$80,101$452,100$212 cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Greensboro, GA 30642 78%568$95,527$496,400$262 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · younger residents
Alto, NM 88312 77%1,737$80,345$304,100$297 cheaper homes ($223K less) · smaller

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.