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 Panama City, FL 32408

Panama City: median income $80,822, home value $382,300, $316/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Gulf Shores, AL 36542 85%122$79,639$383,500$317 less walkable
Prospect Heights, IL 60070 85%834$84,775$343,000$240 cheaper homes ($39K less) · older homes
Mesa, AZ 85206 83%1,540$75,607$357,900$239 larger · more single-family homes
Phoenix, AZ 85020 82%1,559$83,735$447,200$289 pricier homes ($65K more) · larger · more walkable
Arden, NC 28704 81%410$81,096$390,000$273 younger residents · more single-family homes · newer homes
Rocky Hill, CT 06067 80%1,076$100,027$337,300$242 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Laconia, NH 03246 79%1,212$73,241$339,700$305 cheaper homes ($43K less) · more single-family homes · older homes
Seabrook, NH 03874 79%1,201$82,995$446,100$351 pricier homes ($64K more) · smaller · older residents
Mesa, AZ 85205 79%1,539$73,283$339,900$256 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Santa Fe, NM 87507 79%1,235$70,398$363,000$321 larger · younger residents
Easthampton, MA 01027 78%1,105$74,146$375,700$310 more single-family homes · older homes
Haverhill, MA 01832 78%1,187$83,041$429,000$320 pricier homes ($47K more) · younger residents · older homes
Westbrook, ME 04092 78%1,257$85,038$383,300$331 younger residents · older homes
Milwaukee, WI 53228 78%894$75,033$272,000$216 cheaper homes ($110K less) · older homes
Spearfish, SD 57783 78%1,399$74,844$373,300$233 younger residents · more single-family homes
Lake Ozark, MO 65049 78%682$86,453$362,800$239 smaller · more homeowners
Palm Desert, CA 92260 78%1,808$70,091$489,500$368 pricier homes ($107K more) · larger · older residents
Leominster, MA 01453 77%1,151$84,296$381,300$280 larger · older homes
Saco, ME 04072 77%1,246$92,241$413,100$329 pricier homes ($31K more) · more single-family homes
Mechanicville, NY 12118 77%1,102$92,710$345,800$267 cheaper homes ($37K less) · more single-family homes · less walkable
Horsham, PA 19044 77%912$88,173$402,400$297 younger residents
Chesapeake, VA 23320 77%709$84,305$346,400$219 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · younger residents
Palatine, IL 60074 77%838$84,089$315,500$233 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger · younger residents
Denver, CO 80227 77%1,275$90,316$559,200$266 pricier homes ($177K more) · larger · younger residents
Mesa, AZ 85209 77%1,535$84,432$402,900$253 larger · more single-family homes · newer 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.