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 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308

Fort Lauderdale: median income $93,879, home value $564,900, $377/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Seal Beach, CA 90740 86%2,317$85,347$484,100$453 cheaper homes ($81K less) · older residents
Palm Springs, CA 92264 84%2,227$77,688$560,100$388 Very close on everything we compare
Scottsdale, AZ 85250 80%1,961$95,761$583,300$362 smaller · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Ocean City, NJ 08226 70%966$101,782$840,500$816 pricier homes ($276K more) · smaller · newer homes
Ocean City, MD 21842 70%896$79,876$447,700$437 cheaper homes ($117K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Brigantine, NJ 08203 69%979$97,250$524,800$496 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Annapolis, MD 21401 69%915$123,381$601,400$331 higher income ($30K more) · pricier homes ($37K more) · younger residents
Scottsdale, AZ 85258 69%1,961$114,111$846,000$462 pricier homes ($281K more) · 5 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Hartsdale, NY 10530 68%1,094$121,722$464,900$356 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($100K less) · smaller
Eatontown, NJ 07724 67%1,042$102,756$522,100$381 cheaper homes ($43K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Wildwood, NJ 08260 67%943$79,699$469,400$508 cheaper homes ($96K less) · smaller
Carolina Beach, NC 28428 67%565$93,241$572,700$417 smaller · more single-family homes · less walkable
Palm Springs, CA 92262 67%2,228$71,672$619,600$397 pricier homes ($55K more) · more single-family homes
Little Neck, NY 11362 66%1,078$122,090$530,800$601 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller
Palm Desert, CA 92260 65%2,219$70,091$489,500$368 cheaper homes ($75K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Branford, CT 06405 64%1,130$105,225$401,200$286 cheaper homes ($164K less) · more single-family homes · less walkable
Fort Lee, NJ 07024 64%1,079$107,396$448,000$448 cheaper homes ($117K less) · younger residents · 9 min longer commute
Mahwah, NJ 07430 64%1,091$131,327$606,000$427 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($41K more) · younger residents
Doylestown, PA 18901 64%1,023$118,256$576,800$306 younger residents · more single-family homes · less walkable
Hampton, NH 03842 62%1,278$95,422$548,500$423 smaller · more single-family homes · less walkable
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572 62%536$85,247$427,400$281 cheaper homes ($138K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Amesbury, MA 01913 61%1,270$103,554$519,300$385 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller · younger residents
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444 61%1,081$117,959$539,000$431 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Mount Vernon, NY 10552 60%1,087$96,717$363,100$337 cheaper homes ($202K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Yonkers, NY 10710 60%1,089$108,845$560,000$392 younger residents · 8 min longer commute · more single-family 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.