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 Hobe Sound, FL 33455

Hobe Sound: median income $70,389, home value $450,600, $310/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Calverton, NY 11933 84%1,046$74,195$444,100$400 smaller · younger residents
Wells, ME 04090 82%1,243$88,024$485,300$380 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller · younger residents
Paradise, CA 95969 82%2,520$69,067$455,500$287 smaller · more single-family homes
Ridge, NY 11961 81%1,041$76,216$420,800$367 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller · younger residents
Selbyville, DE 19975 81%838$88,568$462,700$280 smaller · newer homes
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 80%475$71,723$413,800$273 cheaper homes ($37K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Sun City, AZ 85373 80%1,962$72,063$348,500$195 cheaper homes ($102K less) · older residents · more single-family homes
Hendersonville, NC 28739 79%586$73,582$394,900$273 cheaper homes ($56K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657 79%1,127$91,452$483,200$281 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller
Chino Valley, AZ 86323 79%1,979$62,603$380,700$277 cheaper homes ($70K less) · newer homes
Sequim, WA 98382 79%2,715$74,189$493,900$308 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Frankford, DE 19945 78%840$87,638$443,100$235 smaller · newer homes
Flat Rock, NC 28731 78%582$66,309$402,300$253 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Murrells Inlet, SC 29576 78%452$70,691$340,400$228 cheaper homes ($110K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Pinetop, AZ 85935 78%1,829$73,333$437,200$326 smaller · more single-family homes
Dewey, AZ 86327 78%1,965$71,512$392,400$261 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Mashpee, MA 02649 77%1,144$95,299$562,200$420 pricier homes ($112K more) · more single-family homes
Hampton, NH 03842 77%1,214$95,422$548,500$423 higher income ($25K more) · pricier homes ($98K more)
Pawleys Island, SC 29585 77%444$81,946$463,400$273 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
Wickenburg, AZ 85390 77%1,995$68,591$499,200$269 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller · older residents
Boulder City, NV 89005 77%2,120$74,375$435,600$289 younger residents · 7 min shorter commute · more walkable
Belfast, ME 04915 76%1,349$66,362$308,700$271 cheaper homes ($142K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Moneta, VA 24121 76%698$81,006$391,800$299 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Ocean Isle Beach, NC 28469 76%482$90,684$463,200$244 smaller · newer homes
Saint Helena Island, SC 29920 76%366$77,744$288,700$353 cheaper homes ($162K less) · smaller · 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.