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 Daytona Beach, FL 32118

Daytona Beach: median income $61,266, home value $368,800, $253/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Palm Desert, CA 92260 82%2,097$70,091$489,500$368 pricier homes ($121K more) · larger
Wildwood, NJ 08260 76%761$79,699$469,400$508 pricier homes ($101K more)
Saint Francis, WI 53235 75%1,023$57,368$234,500$237 cheaper homes ($134K less) · smaller · younger residents
Palm Springs, CA 92264 72%2,105$77,688$560,100$388 pricier homes ($191K more)
Ventnor City, NJ 08406 71%792$69,099$363,000$448 smaller · more single-family homes · older homes
Osage Beach, MO 65065 71%909$60,785$371,600$263 smaller · less walkable · newer homes
Palm Springs, CA 92262 71%2,106$71,672$619,600$397 pricier homes ($251K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Newport, OR 97365 71%2,568$64,363$441,700$344 pricier homes ($73K more) · smaller · younger residents
Cottonwood, AZ 86326 69%1,849$57,378$345,300$276 younger residents · more single-family homes · newer homes
Philadelphia, PA 19116 66%826$67,535$346,600$249 larger · younger residents · 9 min longer commute
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 66%347$71,723$413,800$273 pricier homes ($45K more) · more homeowners · less walkable
Mesa, AZ 85205 65%1,829$73,283$339,900$256 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger · younger residents
Old Orchard Beach, ME 04064 64%1,149$59,887$361,700$370 smaller · more single-family homes · less walkable
Ocean City, MD 21842 64%715$79,876$447,700$437 pricier homes ($79K more) · smaller · younger residents
Mesa, AZ 85206 64%1,829$75,607$357,900$239 larger · younger residents · more single-family homes
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572 63%339$85,247$427,400$281 pricier homes ($59K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Derby, CT 06418 62%947$78,542$258,500$231 cheaper homes ($110K less) · smaller · younger residents
Myrtle Beach, SC 29575 62%327$71,447$305,700$235 cheaper homes ($63K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Niles, IL 60714 61%963$75,800$358,900$284 larger · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
North Conway, NH 03860 59%1,159$71,759$401,500$281 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Philadelphia, PA 19115 59%823$70,054$345,000$250 larger · younger residents · 9 min longer commute
Depoe Bay, OR 97341 59%2,570$66,331$337,400$363 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · more homeowners
East Providence, RI 02914 58%1,024$61,191$359,400$302 younger residents · more renters · more single-family homes
The Plains, OH 45780 58%704$60,557$237,600$163 cheaper homes ($131K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Phoenix, AZ 85020 58%1,848$83,735$447,200$289 pricier homes ($78K more) · larger · younger 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.