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 Marathon, FL 33050

Marathon: median income $94,898, home value $747,300, $686/sq ft, 14-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546 87%2,387$105,577$737,600$640 younger residents
Lihue, HI 96766 82%4,900$100,678$793,000$733 pricier homes ($46K more) · larger · younger residents
Calistoga, CA 94515 77%2,598$94,464$824,900$797 pricier homes ($78K more) · smaller · 12 min longer commute
Lahaina, HI 96761 77%4,761$101,123$995,800$849 pricier homes ($249K more) · larger · younger residents
Chelan, WA 98816 76%2,652$82,577$499,200$421 cheaper homes ($248K less)
Kihei, HI 96753 74%4,751$88,408$1,033,600$830 pricier homes ($286K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Oxnard, CA 93035 72%2,373$106,611$801,600$598 pricier homes ($54K more) · larger · 13 min longer commute
Kailua Kona, HI 96740 72%4,748$95,542$760,600$627 larger · 7 min longer commute · less walkable
Lanai City, HI 96763 72%4,778$92,417$638,400$517 cheaper homes ($109K less) · smaller · younger residents
Hailey, ID 83333 71%2,280$99,704$744,200$566 5 min longer commute · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Grover Beach, CA 93433 71%2,459$86,458$727,500$543 younger residents · 7 min longer commute · more walkable
Santa Margarita, CA 93453 71%2,440$78,288$710,000$721 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller · older residents
Healdsburg, CA 95448 71%2,613$105,120$1,048,300$701 pricier homes ($301K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 71%2,464$92,517$707,500$467 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger · younger residents
Middletown, RI 02842 70%1,288$101,948$563,300$392 cheaper homes ($184K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Missoula, MT 59804 70%2,375$76,266$588,400$351 cheaper homes ($159K less)
Port Aransas, TX 78373 70%1,017$91,106$599,400$392 cheaper homes ($148K less) · smaller · more walkable
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814 70%2,511$74,782$589,600$419 cheaper homes ($158K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Hood River, OR 97031 70%2,665$91,858$691,200$409 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger · younger residents
Kittery, ME 03904 69%1,397$85,084$448,900$448 cheaper homes ($298K less) · 5 min longer commute · less walkable
Spring Valley, CA 91978 69%2,234$113,170$637,200$504 cheaper homes ($110K less) · younger residents · 13 min longer commute
Santa Rosa, CA 95403 69%2,606$98,191$693,000$446 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · younger residents
Santa Rosa, CA 95404 69%2,603$105,437$903,900$522 pricier homes ($157K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Carpinteria, CA 93013 68%2,391$110,359$1,153,600$1,089 pricier homes ($406K more) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Morro Bay, CA 93442 68%2,473$95,623$918,700$629 pricier homes ($171K more) · older residents · 7 min longer commute

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.