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 Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

Murrells Inlet: median income $70,691, home value $340,400, $228/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Vero Beach, FL 32966 88%417$66,771$294,200$203 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller · more renters
Punta Gorda, FL 33955 87%496$76,943$376,200$188 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Mesquite, NV 89027 87%1,982$71,574$362,400$229 smaller
Punta Gorda, FL 33950 86%492$76,369$433,800$246 pricier homes ($93K more) · 7 min longer commute
Lady Lake, FL 32159 85%362$58,518$289,600$202 cheaper homes ($51K less) · older residents
Dewey, AZ 86327 85%1,894$71,512$392,400$261 pricier homes ($52K more) · smaller
Ormond Beach, FL 32174 84%318$71,011$356,800$199 larger · younger residents · older homes
Boynton Beach, FL 33437 83%489$80,710$424,200$228 pricier homes ($84K more)
Sebring, FL 33872 83%444$69,578$210,000$173 cheaper homes ($130K less) · smaller
Bonita Springs, FL 34135 82%521$91,380$461,200$275 pricier homes ($121K more)
Hernando, FL 34442 82%376$57,259$338,600$188 smaller
Calabash, NC 28467 81%37$75,341$308,600$184 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Englewood, FL 34223 80%496$76,016$408,000$291 pricier homes ($68K more) · smaller · older residents
Venice, FL 34292 80%488$80,101$452,100$212 pricier homes ($112K more) · smaller · older residents
Payson, AZ 85541 80%1,842$66,383$361,200$298 more single-family homes
Millsboro, DE 19966 79%412$78,305$317,500$193 younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Punta Gorda, FL 33982 79%487$72,443$314,700$195 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · younger residents
Green Valley, AZ 85614 79%1,854$64,879$301,200$197 cheaper homes ($39K less) · older residents
Sequim, WA 98382 79%2,472$74,189$493,900$308 pricier homes ($154K more) · more single-family homes
New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168 78%332$77,083$358,500$217 younger residents · 6 min longer commute · more renters
Hobe Sound, FL 33455 78%452$70,389$450,600$310 pricier homes ($110K more) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Punta Gorda, FL 33980 78%491$63,591$241,500$175 cheaper homes ($99K less) · smaller · more renters
Englewood, FL 34224 78%497$57,281$287,100$200 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller · older homes
Venice, FL 34293 78%490$90,038$411,300$233 pricier homes ($71K more) · more single-family homes
Selbyville, DE 19975 77%403$88,568$462,700$280 pricier homes ($122K more) · smaller

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.