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 Isle Of Palms, SC 29451

Isle Of Palms: median income $156,979, home value $1,581,300, $975/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Chilmark, MA 02535 77%772$153,966$1,888,000$1,176 pricier homes ($307K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Southampton, NY 11968 76%692$156,219$1,326,600$963 cheaper homes ($255K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Avalon, NJ 08202 75%519$146,071$1,857,400$1,427 pricier homes ($276K more) · smaller · older residents
Carmel Valley, CA 93924 75%2,380$148,563$1,222,600$762 cheaper homes ($359K less) · more renters · older homes
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 74%1,855$184,979$2M+*$847 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($419K more) · larger
Malibu, CA 90265 74%2,235$196,742$2M+*$1,167 higher income ($40K more) · pricier homes ($419K more) · larger
Belleair Beach, FL 33786 72%383$163,125$1,053,000$593 cheaper homes ($528K less) · smaller
Beach Haven, NJ 08008 71%566$120,054$1,165,400$1,112 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($416K less) · larger
Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 71%2,160$187,054$2M+*$1,153 higher income ($30K more) · pricier homes ($419K more) · larger
Westhampton Beach, NY 11978 70%680$125,179$1,054,000$822 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($527K less) · younger residents
Wilson, WY 83014 70%1,831$140,473$2M+*$1,274 pricier homes ($419K more) · 9 min shorter commute · more renters
Pebble Beach, CA 93953 70%2,391$142,763$2M+*$1,305 pricier homes ($419K more) · older residents · more single-family homes
Honolulu, HI 96821 70%4,762$174,938$1,563,300$931 larger · more single-family homes · older homes
Westhampton, NY 11977 69%679$151,375$1,077,200$568 cheaper homes ($504K less) · smaller · older residents
Carmel, CA 93923 69%2,389$142,474$1,767,800$1,111 pricier homes ($187K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Jamestown, RI 02835 68%759$140,625$842,400$616 cheaper homes ($739K less) · more single-family homes
Rye, NH 03870 68%859$140,938$990,700$601 cheaper homes ($591K less) · less walkable · older homes
Monmouth Beach, NJ 07750 68%612$150,188$995,000$636 cheaper homes ($586K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Snowmass, CO 81654 68%1,580$141,111$1,122,000$1,462 cheaper homes ($459K less) · smaller · more renters
San Jose, CA 95135 68%2,376$190,750$1,547,400$532 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger
Sea Girt, NJ 08750 67%598$134,167$1,356,700$846 cheaper homes ($225K less) · more renters · more single-family homes
Los Angeles, CA 90077 67%2,218$206,319$2M+*$970 higher income ($49K more) · pricier homes ($419K more) · larger
Topanga, CA 90290 67%2,227$149,304$1,567,700$698 younger residents · more renters · more single-family homes
Fall City, WA 98024 67%2,409$160,641$1,107,100$473 cheaper homes ($474K less) · more single-family homes
Montauk, NY 11954 66%715$142,961$1,356,600$1,185 cheaper homes ($225K less) · younger residents · more renters

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or more.”

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.