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 Gulf Breeze, FL 32561

Gulf Breeze: median income $115,799, home value $616,000, $491/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444 91%1,027$117,959$539,000$431 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Lambertville, NJ 08530 90%975$120,467$574,800$392 cheaper homes ($41K less) · older homes
Kennebunk, ME 04043 89%1,281$107,804$487,700$378 cheaper homes ($128K less)
Rowley, MA 01969 86%1,238$132,734$667,300$375 pricier homes ($51K more) · more single-family homes
Freeport, ME 04032 86%1,319$107,326$508,400$372 cheaper homes ($108K less) · more single-family homes
Exeter, NH 03833 82%1,248$119,393$480,500$354 cheaper homes ($136K less) · larger · younger residents
Hampton, NH 03842 82%1,251$95,422$548,500$423 cheaper homes ($68K less) · larger
Mahwah, NJ 07430 82%1,037$131,327$606,000$427 larger · more walkable
Whippany, NJ 07981 81%1,015$149,893$614,100$444 higher income ($34K more)
Carolina Beach, NC 28428 81%598$93,241$572,700$417 cheaper homes ($43K less) · more walkable
Santa Rosa, CA 95409 81%2,084$107,867$802,000$445 pricier homes ($186K more) · larger
Ipswich, MA 01938 80%1,239$138,750$745,400$421 pricier homes ($129K more) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Wakefield, RI 02879 80%1,159$112,231$564,700$445 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Scarborough, ME 04074 80%1,298$135,018$556,800$413 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Stowe, VT 05672 80%1,254$93,618$647,800$433 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller · younger residents
Salisbury, MA 01952 79%1,246$93,361$478,700$408 cheaper homes ($137K less)
North Easton, MA 02356 79%1,202$127,224$650,300$348 pricier homes ($34K more) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Portsmouth, RI 02871 79%1,177$116,831$597,000$392 larger · younger residents · more single-family homes
York, ME 03909 79%1,267$115,608$638,400$414 more single-family homes
Shelburne, VT 05482 79%1,232$115,963$588,100$310 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Stonington, CT 06378 79%1,140$135,714$593,400$407 smaller · older residents · more single-family homes
Fairfield, NJ 07004 79%1,023$115,980$688,500$393 pricier homes ($73K more) · more single-family homes
Rhinebeck, NY 12572 79%1,087$94,859$483,100$472 cheaper homes ($133K less) · more single-family homes
Saint Simons Island, GA 31522 79%350$108,632$571,100$344 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger · older residents
Byfield, MA 01922 78%1,239$142,207$804,900$375 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($189K more) · smaller

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.