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 Wadmalaw Island, SC 29487

Wadmalaw Island: median income $105,592, home value $487,900, $347/sq ft, 46-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Reno, NV 89510 92%2,233$100,282$602,200$386 pricier homes ($114K more) · smaller
Geneva, FL 32732 90%275$119,205$487,600$280 larger
Beaverdam, VA 23015 87%390$113,771$442,900$257 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
Francestown, NH 03043 86%847$104,063$408,200$252 cheaper homes ($80K less) · smaller
Bailey, CO 80421 86%1,483$98,452$578,700$316 pricier homes ($91K more) · larger
Allyn, WA 98524 85%2,438$99,483$526,800$306 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger
Great Meadows, NJ 07838 84%636$121,599$440,100$265 cheaper homes ($48K less) · younger residents
Bluemont, VA 20135 84%463$114,219$573,500$347 pricier homes ($86K more) · 8 min shorter commute
Rixeyville, VA 22737 84%427$99,177$401,000$314 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Elgin, AZ 85611 84%1,770$91,458$380,300$248 cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller
Oakham, MA 01068 82%804$102,000$420,100$265 cheaper homes ($68K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Stone Ridge, NY 12484 82%717$119,779$467,200$384 younger residents
Florence, MT 59833 82%2,025$94,097$551,600$333 pricier homes ($64K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Bellvue, CO 80512 82%1,489$97,837$625,000$309 pricier homes ($137K more) · older homes
Campbell Hall, NY 10916 81%689$135,556$492,400$295 higher income ($30K more) · larger · younger residents
Clinton Corners, NY 12514 81%727$120,439$436,700$364 cheaper homes ($51K less) · older homes
Catlett, VA 20119 81%437$115,757$560,700$260 pricier homes ($73K more) · more renters
White Hall, MD 21161 80%524$108,094$472,600$287 larger · 7 min shorter commute · older homes
Suffolk, VA 23432 80%356$94,306$391,500$208 cheaper homes ($96K less) · smaller
Lyndeborough, NH 03082 79%843$120,313$397,700$220 cheaper homes ($90K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Strafford, NH 03884 79%881$122,105$427,900$308 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger · 10 min shorter commute
Holmes, NY 12531 79%710$129,028$475,400$312 8 min shorter commute · older homes
Pomfret, MD 20675 79%447$127,269$483,700$201 smaller
Weems, VA 22576 78%407$104,948$414,000$264 cheaper homes ($74K less) · smaller · older residents
Cool, CA 95614 78%2,308$133,426$584,600$262 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($97K more) · 6 min shorter commute

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.