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 Cape Charles, VA 23310

Cape Charles: median income $62,500, home value $377,300, $318/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Minocqua, WI 54548 92%925$69,569$336,400$288 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Beaufort, NC 28516 91%178$66,057$315,400$270 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger
Columbus, NC 28722 88%374$67,760$307,300$225 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Llano, TX 78643 88%1,370$68,365$362,600$239 Very close on everything we compare
Lakeside, AZ 85929 88%1,910$62,752$306,900$290 cheaper homes ($70K less) · more homeowners
Diamond Springs, CA 95619 87%2,419$66,429$373,900$321 Very close on everything we compare
Mount Shasta, CA 96067 87%2,465$65,000$415,400$247 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger · more walkable
Belfast, ME 04915 86%613$66,362$308,700$271 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger
Jefferson, NC 28640 86%308$53,155$282,900$264 cheaper homes ($94K less)
North Conway, NH 03860 85%531$71,759$401,500$281 more apartments and townhomes
Brevard, NC 28712 85%403$63,045$414,300$299 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger
South Haven, MI 49090 85%650$68,920$295,000$293 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger · more homeowners
Rockaway Beach, OR 97136 85%2,511$66,106$375,000$372 smaller · more homeowners
Chewelah, WA 99109 85%2,220$62,391$327,400$235 cheaper homes ($50K less) · more homeowners
Darby, MT 59829 84%2,042$63,650$437,900$315 pricier homes ($61K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Polson, MT 59860 84%2,049$62,047$441,500$309 pricier homes ($64K more) · larger · younger residents
Taos, NM 87571 84%1,632$57,575$458,900$359 pricier homes ($82K more) · larger
Bandon, OR 97411 84%2,552$50,993$455,800$358 pricier homes ($79K more) · larger
Walker, MN 56484 83%1,164$67,019$311,200$272 cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Hamilton, MT 59840 83%2,041$61,752$428,100$343 pricier homes ($51K more) · larger · younger residents
Plains, MT 59859 83%2,082$64,846$429,200$278 pricier homes ($52K more) · more homeowners · newer homes
Johnson City, TX 78636 83%1,370$72,663$532,600$263 pricier homes ($155K more) · newer homes
Crawford, CO 81415 83%1,717$59,141$330,900$333 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Damariscotta, ME 04543 82%576$59,423$363,500$431 smaller · younger residents
West Jefferson, NC 28694 82%311$58,486$273,200$266 cheaper homes ($104K less) · larger · more homeowners

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.