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 Palm Bay, FL 32905

Palm Bay: median income $56,411, home value $230,000, $178/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Tucson, AZ 85710 90%1,823$57,175$271,900$189 pricier homes ($42K more) · larger
Rocky Mount, NC 27804 89%573$61,359$209,300$133 Very close on everything we compare
North Charleston, SC 29418 88%338$64,583$267,600$205 pricier homes ($38K more) · younger residents
Independence, MO 64057 88%1,097$71,402$256,300$155 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller
Greenville, SC 29617 87%488$55,403$234,500$182 more single-family homes
San Antonio, TX 78217 87%1,083$60,988$242,300$150 younger residents
Albuquerque, NM 87123 87%1,596$64,359$249,500$203 larger · younger residents
Dover, DE 19904 85%821$66,908$309,400$182 pricier homes ($79K more) · larger · younger residents
Gulfport, MS 39507 85%534$54,657$217,800$145 younger residents · less walkable
Milwaukee, WI 53223 85%1,124$60,839$203,100$156 cheaper homes ($27K less) · younger residents · older homes
Farmington, NM 87401 85%1,711$61,886$215,300$183 larger · younger residents
Knoxville, TN 37912 84%585$47,416$210,900$221 younger residents
Mishawaka, IN 46545 84%994$56,865$177,900$159 cheaper homes ($52K less) · younger residents
Milwaukee, WI 53221 84%1,110$63,265$219,600$203 larger · younger residents · older homes
Galveston, TX 77551 84%867$58,344$290,600$200 pricier homes ($61K more) · younger residents
Corpus Christi, TX 78413 84%1,026$72,815$244,200$153 younger residents
Las Cruces, NM 88005 84%1,589$54,452$220,800$168 younger residents
Augusta, ME 04330 83%1,275$54,775$217,300$211 less walkable · older homes
Waterbury, CT 06705 83%1,028$53,954$202,400$198 cheaper homes ($28K less) · younger residents · older homes
Chambersburg, PA 17201 83%839$61,234$227,800$162 7 min shorter commute
West Columbia, SC 29169 83%413$57,122$209,200$160 younger residents
Madison, TN 37115 83%671$54,566$307,500$220 pricier homes ($78K more) · larger · younger residents
Kingsport, TN 37660 83%599$49,191$198,500$157 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · less walkable
San Antonio, TX 78218 83%1,082$57,285$190,900$145 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger · younger residents
El Paso, TX 79935 83%1,559$61,323$197,500$149 cheaper homes ($33K less) · 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.