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 Edisto Island, SC 29438

Edisto Island: median income $86,979, home value $642,400, $452/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Kewadin, MI 49648 90%903$93,272$633,500$414 Very close on everything we compare
Arroyo Seco, NM 87514 88%1,457$71,556$545,200$432 cheaper homes ($97K less) · smaller
Bend, OR 97707 88%2,345$85,272$647,600$432 larger · younger residents
Freeland, WA 98249 88%2,432$99,519$627,400$404 5 min longer commute
Emerald Isle, NC 28594 87%239$89,773$603,700$474 cheaper homes ($39K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Saint Michaels, MD 21663 86%488$89,775$650,500$438 younger residents
Bigfork, MT 59911 86%2,053$83,019$666,400$456 larger · younger residents
Nags Head, NC 27959 85%354$91,264$490,800$424 cheaper homes ($152K less) · more walkable
Oak Island, NC 28465 85%158$86,194$479,500$428 cheaper homes ($163K less) · larger
Tybee Island, GA 31328 85%49$109,631$619,800$427 more walkable
Yarmouth Port, MA 02675 84%841$110,450$607,900$424 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger
Harpswell, ME 04079 84%955$91,969$612,400$500 cheaper homes ($30K less) · 7 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Empire, MI 49630 84%901$106,375$497,600$336 cheaper homes ($145K less) · smaller
Harrison, ID 83833 84%2,160$81,568$562,100$652 cheaper homes ($80K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Yachats, OR 97498 84%2,472$67,188$511,500$405 cheaper homes ($131K less)
Langley, WA 98260 84%2,426$101,987$678,400$487 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Brewster, MA 02631 83%848$102,132$700,500$488 pricier homes ($58K more) · larger
Moultonborough, NH 03254 83%911$106,440$641,300$374 larger · more single-family homes
Kure Beach, NC 28449 83%171$107,563$759,700$410 pricier homes ($117K more) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Port Ludlow, WA 98365 83%2,436$98,776$673,800$355 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Lake Leelanau, MI 49653 82%907$85,787$669,800$386 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Maple City, MI 49664 82%902$77,500$475,900$410 cheaper homes ($167K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Ridgway, CO 81432 82%1,588$90,882$836,200$527 pricier homes ($194K more) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Coupeville, WA 98239 82%2,439$92,125$593,700$387 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
La Conner, WA 98257 82%2,435$94,425$506,200$300 cheaper homes ($136K less) · larger

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.