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.

Reset

Towns most like Saint Augustine, FL 32095

Saint Augustine: median income $136,038, home value $525,000, $229/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Fort Mill, SC 29707 95%345$118,295$470,600$217 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger
New Braunfels, TX 78132 93%1,005$135,315$620,300$212 pricier homes ($95K more) · larger
Harrisburg, NC 28075 92%370$144,288$482,800$205 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Lees Summit, MO 64082 92%958$131,453$411,700$193 cheaper homes ($113K less)
Colorado Springs, CO 80908 92%1,459$133,965$705,400$237 pricier homes ($180K more)
Rolesville, NC 27571 91%442$131,139$495,100$184 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
Union, KY 41091 91%645$136,307$399,500$193 cheaper homes ($126K less)
Elgin, IL 60124 91%916$139,982$430,900$211 cheaper homes ($94K less)
San Antonio, TX 78255 91%1,035$157,428$531,400$212 Very close on everything we compare
Berthoud, CO 80513 91%1,509$126,726$600,600$249 pricier homes ($76K more)
Matthews, NC 28104 90%351$138,017$533,500$253 larger · older homes
Thompsons Station, TN 37179 90%511$136,188$570,200$296 pricier homes ($45K more)
Apex, NC 27539 89%422$145,947$565,600$237 pricier homes ($41K more) · younger residents
Plain City, OH 43064 89%705$139,591$461,900$230 cheaper homes ($63K less) · younger residents
Avon, OH 44011 89%791$135,915$395,900$219 cheaper homes ($129K less) · older homes
Hugo, MN 55038 89%1,221$130,931$422,800$201 cheaper homes ($102K less) · older homes
Frisco, TX 75036 89%932$151,645$564,500$229 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
San Antonio, TX 78260 89%1,022$154,590$498,100$190 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger
Carver, MN 55315 88%1,216$140,893$453,000$208 cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller
Rogers, MN 55374 88%1,238$144,714$462,000$193 cheaper homes ($63K less) · younger residents
Sachse, TX 75048 88%917$131,087$407,200$181 cheaper homes ($118K less)
Helotes, TX 78023 88%1,039$134,007$412,900$169 cheaper homes ($112K less)
Dripping Springs, TX 78620 88%997$153,477$676,500$239 pricier homes ($152K more)
Phoenix, AZ 85083 88%1,814$149,087$612,700$267 pricier homes ($88K more) · more single-family homes
South Lyon, MI 48178 87%869$131,558$410,500$203 cheaper homes ($115K less) · larger · older homes

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.