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 Boca Raton, FL 33487

Boca Raton: median income $96,066, home value $632,100, $439/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 81%400$97,576$797,700$489 pricier homes ($166K more) · older residents
Carolina Beach, NC 28428 80%543$93,241$572,700$417 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Atlantic Beach, NC 28512 79%606$91,488$565,400$456 cheaper homes ($67K less) · smaller · older residents
Orange Beach, AL 36561 79%528$98,295$574,500$490 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller · newer homes
Palm Springs, CA 92264 77%2,224$77,688$560,100$388 cheaper homes ($72K less) · older residents · more walkable
Hampton, NH 03842 75%1,255$95,422$548,500$423 cheaper homes ($84K less) · more single-family homes
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572 74%513$85,247$427,400$281 cheaper homes ($205K less) · smaller
Scottsdale, AZ 85250 74%1,958$95,761$583,300$362 cheaper homes ($49K less) · younger residents · more walkable
Scottsdale, AZ 85258 74%1,958$114,111$846,000$462 pricier homes ($214K more) · more single-family homes · more walkable
Ocean City, MD 21842 71%874$79,876$447,700$437 cheaper homes ($184K less) · smaller · more walkable
Mahwah, NJ 07430 70%1,068$131,327$606,000$427 higher income ($35K more) · cheaper homes ($26K less) · younger residents
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 70%899$102,146$608,800$339 older residents · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Salisbury, MA 01952 69%1,249$93,361$478,700$408 cheaper homes ($153K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Bedminster, NJ 07921 68%1,033$123,104$433,300$456 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($199K less) · smaller
Ocean City, NJ 08226 68%944$101,782$840,500$816 pricier homes ($208K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Doylestown, PA 18901 68%1,001$118,256$576,800$306 cheaper homes ($55K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 68%402$97,948$639,400$351 more single-family homes
Willowbrook, IL 60527 68%1,149$106,543$501,700$269 cheaper homes ($130K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Tucson, AZ 85718 68%1,894$114,892$712,400$308 pricier homes ($80K more) · more single-family homes
Seal Beach, CA 90740 68%2,314$85,347$484,100$453 cheaper homes ($148K less) · older residents · 8 min longer commute
Exeter, NH 03833 67%1,255$119,393$480,500$354 cheaper homes ($152K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Cranbury, NJ 08512 67%1,012$118,587$659,400$339 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller · younger residents
Williston, VT 05495 66%1,305$107,054$470,300$288 cheaper homes ($162K less) · smaller · younger residents
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444 66%1,059$117,959$539,000$431 cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Tucson, AZ 85750 66%1,889$102,836$585,300$281 cheaper homes ($47K less) · 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.