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 Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948

Kill Devil Hills: median income $86,193, home value $437,500, $368/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 93%1,733$84,270$486,000$342 pricier homes ($49K more)
Eliot, ME 03903 92%557$101,522$498,900$363 pricier homes ($61K more) · smaller
Jacksonville, OR 97530 92%2,541$89,239$617,400$313 pricier homes ($180K more)
Topsham, ME 04086 90%629$91,028$360,800$296 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Fredericksburg, TX 78624 89%1,396$75,237$463,300$284 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger
Philomath, OR 97370 89%2,546$88,091$463,200$279 pricier homes ($26K more)
Waterford, CT 06385 88%415$100,484$365,400$302 cheaper homes ($72K less) · older homes
Lake Geneva, WI 53147 88%819$83,566$369,100$287 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Buena Vista, CO 81211 88%1,676$88,083$677,400$409 pricier homes ($240K more)
West Yarmouth, MA 02673 87%488$73,854$502,200$411 pricier homes ($65K more) · older homes
Kennebunkport, ME 04046 87%580$102,529$586,100$434 pricier homes ($149K more) · smaller
Vergennes, VT 05491 87%575$87,917$337,400$286 cheaper homes ($100K less) · smaller · older homes
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210 87%222$90,013$370,500$283 cheaper homes ($67K less) · younger residents
Valatie, NY 12184 87%457$98,622$355,200$276 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller
Easton, MD 21601 87%193$83,680$376,400$232 cheaper homes ($61K less) · larger
Bayfield, CO 81122 87%1,765$93,714$459,800$322 Very close on everything we compare
Hayden, ID 83835 87%2,232$91,316$562,000$337 pricier homes ($125K more) · larger
Sandpoint, ID 83864 87%2,227$70,496$516,500$381 pricier homes ($79K more) · larger
Carson City, NV 89703 87%2,401$85,230$626,500$330 pricier homes ($189K more)
Blaine, WA 98230 87%2,512$86,623$499,800$316 pricier homes ($62K more) · larger
Great Barrington, MA 01230 86%445$86,694$527,300$378 pricier homes ($90K more) · older homes
Buzzards Bay, MA 02532 86%481$87,773$497,600$374 pricier homes ($60K more) · older homes
Westerly, RI 02891 86%425$97,110$470,000$369 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · older residents
Meredith, NH 03253 86%571$84,719$482,700$354 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller · older residents
Bristol, VT 05443 86%579$88,594$356,600$238 cheaper homes ($81K 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.