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 Merritt Island, FL 32952

Merritt Island: median income $102,726, home value $425,700, $253/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Watertown, CT 06795 95%1,014$104,850$365,500$244 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller
Tiverton, RI 02878 94%1,066$106,036$411,900$306 Very close on everything we compare
Berlin, CT 06037 92%1,024$116,042$377,100$236 cheaper homes ($49K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Mound, MN 55364 92%1,354$108,725$459,400$260 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller
Waterford, CT 06385 91%1,023$100,484$365,400$302 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Ballston Lake, NY 12019 91%1,081$112,420$400,400$271 cheaper homes ($25K less)
East Aurora, NY 14052 91%1,008$99,970$343,700$258 cheaper homes ($82K less) · older homes
Pottstown, PA 19465 91%871$107,825$404,500$233 younger residents
Muskego, WI 53150 90%1,093$109,276$416,400$250 newer homes
Westminster, MA 01473 89%1,101$106,331$422,000$302 smaller
Seekonk, MA 02771 89%1,074$120,613$482,800$314 pricier homes ($57K more) · younger residents
Greenville, RI 02828 89%1,070$97,196$440,900$291 smaller
Valatie, NY 12184 89%1,053$98,622$355,200$276 cheaper homes ($71K less) · smaller
Chardon, OH 44024 89%919$107,000$324,800$200 cheaper homes ($101K less)
Brighton, MI 48116 89%1,001$106,763$385,900$216 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Chelsea, MI 48118 89%989$88,278$357,200$219 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller
Oconomowoc, WI 53066 89%1,114$113,114$427,900$284 larger
Duluth, MN 55803 89%1,426$105,888$336,000$231 cheaper homes ($90K less) · younger residents
East Longmeadow, MA 01028 88%1,057$106,424$379,200$259 cheaper homes ($47K less) · younger residents
Niantic, CT 06357 88%1,020$93,026$397,300$301 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Plantsville, CT 06479 88%1,018$114,346$359,000$261 cheaper homes ($67K less) · smaller
Newton, NJ 07860 88%944$110,045$367,100$283 cheaper homes ($59K less) · 5 min longer commute
Coopersburg, PA 18036 88%896$129,123$416,200$229 higher income ($26K more)
Chesterland, OH 44026 88%917$111,761$330,800$194 cheaper homes ($95K less) · smaller
Lake Orion, MI 48362 88%1,012$115,230$346,900$223 cheaper homes ($79K 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.