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 Hilton Head Island, SC 29926

Hilton Head Island: median income $97,948, home value $639,400, $351/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Saint Simons Island, GA 31522 93%76$108,632$571,100$344 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Chandler, AZ 85248 92%1,803$94,495$527,800$275 cheaper homes ($112K less) · larger
Saint Augustine, FL 32080 90%169$92,531$535,800$339 cheaper homes ($104K less)
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 89%551$102,146$608,800$339 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Fernandina Beach, FL 32034 87%114$98,583$537,800$353 cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Palm Desert, CA 92211 87%2,055$88,477$583,900$305 cheaper homes ($56K less) · older residents
Santa Fe, NM 87506 86%1,463$96,511$611,800$464 cheaper homes ($28K less) · 6 min longer commute
Mashpee, MA 02649 85%861$95,299$562,200$420 cheaper homes ($77K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Lewes, DE 19958 85%549$97,197$534,600$266 cheaper homes ($105K less) · 6 min longer commute
Estes Park, CO 80517 85%1,484$95,404$701,700$415 pricier homes ($62K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Tucson, AZ 85750 85%1,753$102,836$585,300$281 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Kennebunk, ME 04043 84%951$107,804$487,700$378 cheaper homes ($152K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951 84%289$98,420$567,300$354 cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Sarasota, FL 34238 84%358$97,926$574,600$255 cheaper homes ($65K less) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Fountain Hills, AZ 85268 84%1,793$112,795$623,400$336 9 min longer commute
Anacortes, WA 98221 84%2,436$96,528$713,100$419 pricier homes ($74K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 83%1,528$84,270$486,000$342 cheaper homes ($153K less) · smaller · younger residents
Prescott, AZ 86305 83%1,856$80,436$655,600$323 more single-family homes
Brewster, MA 02631 82%883$102,132$700,500$488 pricier homes ($61K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Naples, FL 34119 82%415$113,391$716,400$301 pricier homes ($77K more) · larger · younger residents
Mesa, AZ 85215 82%1,793$98,831$441,000$278 cheaper homes ($198K less)
Boca Raton, FL 33496 81%403$114,885$708,300$473 pricier homes ($69K more) · younger residents
Galveston, TX 77554 81%869$86,490$466,800$340 cheaper homes ($173K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657 81%1,045$91,452$483,200$281 cheaper homes ($156K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Prescott, AZ 86303 81%1,825$72,359$563,000$321 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($76K less)

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.