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 Sunset, SC 29685

Sunset: median income $116,742, home value $828,500, $381/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Arrington, TN 37014 88%226$105,125$739,500$351 cheaper homes ($89K less) · larger · younger residents
Union Hall, VA 24176 87%224$98,250$627,000$332 cheaper homes ($202K less) · 5 min longer commute
Kewadin, MI 49648 84%707$93,272$633,500$414 cheaper homes ($195K less) · older homes
Valleyford, WA 99036 84%1,968$121,518$647,300$262 cheaper homes ($181K less)
Freeland, WA 98249 83%2,216$99,519$627,400$404 cheaper homes ($201K less) · larger
Meadow Vista, CA 95722 82%2,112$125,625$697,800$369 cheaper homes ($131K less) · larger · older homes
Sedalia, CO 80135 81%1,259$136,083$880,500$312 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger · older homes
Cotuit, MA 02635 78%812$110,197$683,600$490 cheaper homes ($145K less) · larger · more walkable
Moultonborough, NH 03254 78%858$106,440$641,300$374 cheaper homes ($187K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Newbury, NH 03255 78%816$117,045$465,000$416 cheaper homes ($364K less) · older homes
Kure Beach, NC 28449 78%287$107,563$759,700$410 cheaper homes ($69K less) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Sonoita, AZ 85637 78%1,616$99,688$467,100$280 cheaper homes ($361K less) · smaller
Port Ludlow, WA 98365 78%2,220$98,776$673,800$355 cheaper homes ($155K less) · larger · older residents
Manakin Sabot, VA 23103 77%338$145,234$611,000$273 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($218K less) · larger
Hunt, TX 78024 77%1,029$105,381$500,000$288 cheaper homes ($329K less) · younger residents
Round Top, TX 78954 77%879$103,750$427,300$399 cheaper homes ($401K less) · smaller · older homes
East Kingston, NH 03827 76%838$142,794$600,500$273 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($228K less) · larger
Grant, FL 32949 76%505$130,651$580,600$250 cheaper homes ($248K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Empire, MI 49630 76%701$106,375$497,600$336 cheaper homes ($331K less) · older residents
Ridgway, CO 81432 76%1,397$90,882$836,200$527 lower income ($26K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Placitas, NM 87043 76%1,337$109,750$562,100$294 cheaper homes ($266K less) · larger · older residents
Pilot Hill, CA 95664 76%2,113$117,901$506,500$302 cheaper homes ($322K less)
Bend, OR 97707 76%2,137$85,272$647,600$432 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($181K less) · larger
Black Hawk, CO 80422 75%1,285$95,625$588,800$342 cheaper homes ($240K less) · larger · younger residents
Langley, WA 98260 75%2,210$101,987$678,400$487 cheaper homes ($150K less) · larger · older residents

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.