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 Oak Island, NC 28465

Oak Island: median income $86,194, home value $479,500, $428/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bend, OR 97707 88%2,405$85,272$647,600$432 pricier homes ($168K more) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Nisswa, MN 56468 87%1,213$100,300$465,800$372 smaller · younger residents
Bigfork, MT 59911 87%2,088$83,019$666,400$456 pricier homes ($187K more) · younger residents
Prescott, AZ 86305 87%1,978$80,436$655,600$323 pricier homes ($176K more) · larger
Coupeville, WA 98239 87%2,480$92,125$593,700$387 pricier homes ($114K more) · 8 min longer commute
Moultonborough, NH 03254 86%768$106,440$641,300$374 pricier homes ($162K more) · smaller
Edisto Island, SC 29438 85%158$86,979$642,400$452 pricier homes ($163K more) · smaller
Seneca, SC 29672 85%281$90,650$482,100$271 younger residents
Harbor Springs, MI 49740 85%881$89,250$363,500$312 cheaper homes ($116K less) · younger residents · older homes
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 84%765$94,349$548,600$347 pricier homes ($69K more) · younger residents · more renters
Maple City, MI 49664 84%861$77,500$475,900$410 smaller · younger residents
Santa Fe, NM 87508 84%1,577$101,565$561,200$335 pricier homes ($82K more) · larger · younger residents
Harwich, MA 02645 83%694$104,401$648,200$483 pricier homes ($169K more) · older homes
Dagsboro, DE 19939 83%360$89,806$420,700$245 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Suttons Bay, MI 49682 83%861$97,813$396,500$369 cheaper homes ($83K less) · smaller · younger residents
La Conner, WA 98257 83%2,475$94,425$506,200$300 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller · more renters
Yarmouth Port, MA 02675 82%689$110,450$607,900$424 pricier homes ($128K more) · older homes
Salem, SC 29676 82%283$92,798$416,800$270 cheaper homes ($63K less) · 7 min longer commute
Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657 82%1,204$91,452$483,200$281 more apartments and townhomes
Santa Fe, NM 87506 82%1,580$96,511$611,800$464 pricier homes ($132K more) · larger · younger residents
Las Vegas, NV 89134 82%2,095$83,688$472,900$299 larger · more walkable
Freeland, WA 98249 82%2,473$99,519$627,400$404 pricier homes ($148K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Port Ludlow, WA 98365 82%2,478$98,776$673,800$355 pricier homes ($194K more) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Mashpee, MA 02649 81%676$95,299$562,200$420 pricier homes ($83K more) · larger · younger residents
South Dennis, MA 02660 81%691$93,386$559,600$549 pricier homes ($80K more) · more renters · older homes

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.