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.

Reset

Towns most like Southport, NC 28461

Southport: median income $82,692, home value $428,600, $247/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Gold Canyon, AZ 85118 94%1,908$86,393$481,700$244 pricier homes ($53K more) · smaller
Port Saint Lucie, FL 34986 92%480$80,047$408,800$194 younger residents
Palm Coast, FL 32137 91%357$83,923$402,600$206 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · younger residents
Boynton Beach, FL 33472 91%529$101,959$446,200$256 Very close on everything we compare
Selbyville, DE 19975 90%350$88,568$462,700$280 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller
Rotonda West, FL 33947 90%550$80,091$403,100$206 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Lewes, DE 19958 89%366$97,197$534,600$266 pricier homes ($106K more)
Nokomis, FL 34275 89%540$89,369$473,400$250 pricier homes ($45K more) · older homes
Venice, FL 34293 89%542$90,038$411,300$233 larger
Pawleys Island, SC 29585 88%72$81,946$463,400$273 pricier homes ($35K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Greensboro, GA 30642 88%296$95,527$496,400$262 pricier homes ($68K more) · smaller · younger residents
Loudon, TN 37774 88%378$87,718$365,100$253 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Tucson, AZ 85739 88%1,894$81,711$416,700$218 older residents
Frankford, DE 19945 87%352$87,638$443,100$235 smaller
Milton, DE 19968 87%365$87,163$437,000$240 smaller · younger residents
Okatie, SC 29909 87%198$91,294$453,300$253 older residents
Port Charlotte, FL 33981 87%546$84,098$386,800$218 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Port Saint Lucie, FL 34987 87%485$90,201$460,900$219 pricier homes ($32K more) · 5 min longer commute · newer homes
Dagsboro, DE 19939 86%354$89,806$420,700$245 smaller
Berlin, MD 21811 86%342$90,082$388,900$265 cheaper homes ($40K less) · younger residents
Las Vegas, NV 89134 86%2,099$83,688$472,900$299 pricier homes ($44K more) · more walkable
Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657 85%1,210$91,452$483,200$281 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller
Surprise, AZ 85374 85%1,960$81,201$395,400$232 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Wickenburg, AZ 85390 85%1,987$68,591$499,200$269 pricier homes ($71K more) · smaller
Ocean View, DE 19970 84%357$94,103$526,600$266 pricier homes ($98K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes

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.