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 Melbourne, FL 32940

Melbourne: median income $110,495, home value $467,000, $250/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Williamsburg, VA 23188 92%669$103,160$449,900$224 Very close on everything we compare
Bluffton, SC 29910 92%280$98,912$487,000$259 Very close on everything we compare
Mesa, AZ 85207 92%1,865$108,699$505,000$282 pricier homes ($38K more)
Hillsborough, NC 27278 91%552$105,887$414,100$235 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller
Hudson, WI 54016 91%1,335$113,085$452,000$224 smaller · younger residents
Boerne, TX 78006 91%1,092$116,156$543,900$229 pricier homes ($77K more) · younger residents
Fort Mill, SC 29707 90%468$118,295$470,600$217 younger residents
Fairhope, AL 36532 90%461$89,694$432,600$230 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Henderson, NV 89044 90%2,077$108,155$570,700$263 pricier homes ($104K more) · smaller
Wilmington, NC 28411 89%454$97,387$396,400$260 cheaper homes ($71K less) · younger residents
Goodyear, AZ 85395 89%1,908$105,935$564,800$237 pricier homes ($98K more)
Tucson, AZ 85737 89%1,822$107,348$469,500$246 smaller · older residents
Pittsboro, NC 27312 88%530$103,104$467,900$274 smaller
Muskego, WI 53150 88%1,097$109,276$416,400$250 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller · older homes
Denver, NC 28037 87%503$111,703$491,900$235 smaller · 7 min longer commute
Johns Island, SC 29455 87%319$121,372$590,800$330 pricier homes ($124K more) · smaller
Peachtree City, GA 30269 87%426$113,807$481,500$238 Very close on everything we compare
Brighton, MI 48116 87%1,005$106,763$385,900$216 cheaper homes ($81K less) · smaller · older homes
Glen Allen, VA 23060 86%678$104,468$409,900$224 cheaper homes ($57K less) · younger residents
Midlothian, VA 23112 86%661$116,465$398,400$225 cheaper homes ($69K less) · younger residents
Wilmington, NC 28409 86%444$111,048$422,600$252 cheaper homes ($44K less) · younger residents · older homes
Fort Mill, SC 29715 86%470$109,689$448,100$225 younger residents
Loveland, OH 45140 86%790$114,827$360,300$207 cheaper homes ($107K less) · younger residents
Utica, MI 48316 86%1,009$107,776$383,500$178 cheaper homes ($84K less) · smaller
Oconomowoc, WI 53066 86%1,118$113,114$427,900$284 cheaper homes ($39K less) · 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.