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 Beach, FL 33931

Fort Myers Beach: median income $79,018, home value $527,900, $462/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Wildwood, NJ 08260 75%959$79,699$469,400$508 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger · younger residents
Palm Springs, CA 92264 73%2,117$77,688$560,100$388 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger · younger residents
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572 72%539$85,247$427,400$281 cheaper homes ($101K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Ocean City, MD 21842 71%913$79,876$447,700$437 cheaper homes ($80K less) · younger residents · more renters
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 68%546$71,723$413,800$273 cheaper homes ($114K less) · larger · younger residents
Brigantine, NJ 08203 66%997$97,250$524,800$496 younger residents · 7 min longer commute · more renters
Seal Beach, CA 90740 65%2,206$85,347$484,100$453 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger · younger residents
Palm Desert, CA 92260 64%2,108$70,091$489,500$368 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger · younger residents
Carolina Beach, NC 28428 63%577$93,241$572,700$417 pricier homes ($45K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Depoe Bay, OR 97341 60%2,644$66,331$337,400$363 cheaper homes ($191K less) · smaller · younger residents
Atlantic Beach, NC 28512 59%648$91,488$565,400$456 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller · younger residents
Laguna Woods, CA 92637 59%2,185$59,269$394,600$415 cheaper homes ($133K less) · larger · older residents
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 57%937$102,146$608,800$339 pricier homes ($81K more) · larger · younger residents
Palm Desert, CA 92211 57%2,106$88,477$583,900$305 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger · more renters
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 57%2,111$107,364$807,200$380 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($279K more) · larger
South Padre Island, TX 78597 56%943$68,421$527,200$373 smaller · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Palm Springs, CA 92262 55%2,118$71,672$619,600$397 pricier homes ($92K more) · larger · younger residents
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 54%401$97,576$797,700$489 pricier homes ($270K more) · larger · less walkable
Orange Beach, AL 36561 54%433$98,295$574,500$490 pricier homes ($47K more) · younger residents · more renters
Hampton, NH 03842 53%1,300$95,422$548,500$423 larger · younger residents · more renters
Port Aransas, TX 78373 53%936$91,106$599,400$392 pricier homes ($72K more) · smaller · younger residents
Sunset Beach, NC 28468 51%553$83,358$412,000$244 cheaper homes ($116K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Long Beach, WA 98631 51%2,672$71,705$409,400$335 cheaper homes ($119K less) · smaller · younger residents
Osage Beach, MO 65065 50%1,020$60,785$371,600$263 cheaper homes ($156K less) · younger residents · more renters
Winter Park, CO 80482 50%1,654$65,137$775,300$729 pricier homes ($247K more) · smaller · more renters

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.