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 Myers, FL 33908

Fort Myers: median income $75,396, home value $379,300, $202/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 84%543$71,723$413,800$273 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572 75%535$85,247$427,400$281 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller · younger residents
Murrells Inlet, SC 29576 72%516$70,691$340,400$228 cheaper homes ($39K less) · 5 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Palm Desert, CA 92211 72%2,106$88,477$583,900$305 pricier homes ($205K more) · more single-family homes
Green Valley, AZ 85614 68%1,787$64,879$301,200$197 cheaper homes ($78K less) · older residents · more single-family homes
Millsboro, DE 19966 66%925$78,305$317,500$193 cheaper homes ($62K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Myrtle Beach, SC 29575 66%523$71,447$305,700$235 cheaper homes ($74K less) · smaller · younger residents
Palm Desert, CA 92260 66%2,108$70,091$489,500$368 pricier homes ($110K more) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Gulf Shores, AL 36542 63%440$79,639$383,500$317 smaller · younger residents · more single-family homes
Little River, SC 29566 62%546$64,878$308,700$191 cheaper homes ($71K less) · smaller · younger residents
Palm Springs, CA 92264 61%2,117$77,688$560,100$388 pricier homes ($181K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Pawleys Island, SC 29585 60%508$81,946$463,400$273 pricier homes ($84K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Osage Beach, MO 65065 60%1,018$60,785$371,600$263 smaller · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Sunset Beach, NC 28468 59%549$83,358$412,000$244 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Lewes, DE 19958 58%932$97,197$534,600$266 pricier homes ($155K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Mesquite, NV 89027 58%2,011$71,574$362,400$229 smaller · 10 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Old Orchard Beach, ME 04064 56%1,342$59,887$361,700$370 smaller · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Sterling Heights, MI 48314 56%1,115$85,889$331,500$182 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller · younger residents
Apache Junction, AZ 85119 56%1,827$71,585$265,000$272 cheaper homes ($114K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
North Conway, NH 03860 55%1,353$71,759$401,500$281 smaller · younger residents · more single-family homes
Ocean View, DE 19970 55%923$94,103$526,600$266 pricier homes ($147K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Selbyville, DE 19975 55%915$88,568$462,700$280 pricier homes ($83K more) · smaller · younger residents
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 54%933$102,146$608,800$339 higher income ($27K more) · pricier homes ($230K more) · smaller
Ocean Isle Beach, NC 28469 54%551$90,684$463,200$244 pricier homes ($84K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Hardeeville, SC 29927 54%401$72,821$428,700$267 pricier homes ($49K more) · 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.