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 Chincoteague Island, VA 23336

Chincoteague Island: median income $63,464, home value $346,700, $288/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bayfield, WI 54814 91%998$63,682$250,000$268 cheaper homes ($97K less)
Center Conway, NH 03813 89%475$56,951$252,200$330 cheaper homes ($95K less) · 5 min longer commute
Ludlow, VT 05149 89%402$64,191$365,300$300 younger residents
Gold Beach, OR 97444 89%2,573$64,920$402,700$296 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger
Elk Rapids, MI 49629 88%708$65,302$394,600$333 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller · older homes
Minocqua, WI 54548 88%919$69,569$336,400$288 larger · more single-family homes
Belfast, ME 04915 87%557$66,362$308,700$271 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Ellicottville, NY 14731 87%348$67,583$286,800$287 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Thompson Falls, MT 59873 87%2,109$60,000$305,900$277 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Lakeside, AZ 85929 87%1,940$62,752$306,900$290 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Rockaway Beach, OR 97136 87%2,519$66,106$375,000$372 pricier homes ($28K more) · more single-family homes
Joseph, OR 97846 87%2,195$71,471$383,200$341 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Lakeside Marblehead, OH 43440 86%465$74,818$297,100$317 cheaper homes ($50K less) · 5 min longer commute
Crawford, CO 81415 86%1,740$59,141$330,900$333 smaller · 5 min longer commute · less walkable
Phoenix, OR 97535 86%2,494$66,052$418,400$264 pricier homes ($72K more) · more walkable
Beaufort, NC 28516 85%230$66,057$315,400$270 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Port Saint Joe, FL 32456 85%799$64,681$378,500$285 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger · newer homes
Renfrew, PA 16053 84%317$76,054$297,500$218 cheaper homes ($49K less) · 5 min longer commute
Flat Rock, NC 28731 84%430$66,309$402,300$253 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Bellaire, MI 49615 84%705$79,469$292,300$251 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Saint Germain, WI 54558 84%910$59,718$261,000$345 cheaper homes ($86K less) · more single-family homes
Long Beach, WA 98631 84%2,519$71,705$409,400$335 pricier homes ($63K more) · more walkable
North Conway, NH 03860 83%476$71,759$401,500$281 pricier homes ($55K more) · 6 min longer commute · more renters
Bokeelia, FL 33922 83%873$71,164$355,800$269 9 min longer commute
Boyne City, MI 49712 83%707$74,033$294,800$318 cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger · 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.