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.

Reset

Towns most like Merritt Island, FL 32953

Merritt Island: median income $87,262, home value $419,200, $225/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Easton, MD 21601 94%766$83,680$376,400$232 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Nazareth, PA 18064 91%907$103,393$387,100$214 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Lake Geneva, WI 53147 91%1,072$83,566$369,100$287 cheaper homes ($50K less)
West Bend, WI 53095 90%1,118$80,830$305,400$207 cheaper homes ($114K less)
Stoughton, WI 53589 90%1,111$96,226$341,000$241 cheaper homes ($78K less)
Boulder City, NV 89005 90%2,051$74,375$435,600$289 smaller
Milford, OH 45150 89%771$93,595$288,800$193 cheaper homes ($130K less)
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 89%1,025$93,494$347,000$258 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Saint Louis, MO 63128 89%891$92,359$338,700$176 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Tucson, AZ 85715 89%1,808$85,069$370,000$219 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Absecon, NJ 08205 88%846$93,370$292,400$208 cheaper homes ($127K less) · younger residents
Queensbury, NY 12804 88%1,104$89,127$311,400$248 cheaper homes ($108K less)
Havre De Grace, MD 21078 88%815$106,667$385,600$185 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Old Hickory, TN 37138 88%642$85,149$363,000$233 cheaper homes ($56K less) · younger residents
North Royalton, OH 44133 88%896$83,717$292,500$184 cheaper homes ($127K less)
Mesa, AZ 85215 88%1,863$98,831$441,000$278 Very close on everything we compare
Peoria, AZ 85382 88%1,891$91,525$438,300$242 larger · newer homes
Sonora, CA 95370 88%2,365$82,990$448,400$255 pricier homes ($29K more) · less walkable
Feeding Hills, MA 01030 87%1,048$93,815$327,700$248 cheaper homes ($92K less) · smaller
Johnston, RI 02919 87%1,063$91,775$355,800$267 cheaper homes ($63K less) · older homes
Bloomfield, CT 06002 87%1,032$98,162$286,400$212 cheaper homes ($133K less) · older homes
Hammonton, NJ 08037 87%848$81,312$322,900$231 cheaper homes ($96K less) · younger residents
Hamburg, NY 14075 87%997$83,383$266,100$226 cheaper homes ($153K less) · larger
Gettysburg, PA 17325 87%816$80,948$287,200$191 cheaper homes ($132K less) · younger residents
Sterling Heights, MI 48314 87%991$85,889$331,500$182 cheaper homes ($88K less) · 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.