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 Port Charlotte, FL 33952

Port Charlotte: median income $61,382, home value $237,700, $170/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hartwell, GA 30643 88%511$61,596$235,100$187 smaller
Monticello, IN 47960 88%988$65,603$192,700$167 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · younger residents
Vermilion, OH 44089 87%996$70,495$210,500$192 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Bedford, IN 47421 87%859$68,108$188,100$163 cheaper homes ($50K less) · younger residents
Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494 87%1,275$72,595$181,700$147 cheaper homes ($56K less) · younger residents
Madison Heights, VA 24572 86%743$62,030$204,000$167 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller · younger residents
Granite Falls, NC 28630 86%610$63,835$202,400$172 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller · younger residents
Blountville, TN 37617 86%660$64,764$247,700$178 smaller · younger residents
Cheboygan, MI 49721 86%1,293$61,174$172,200$149 cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller
Rhinelander, WI 54501 86%1,354$68,163$203,900$183 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller · younger residents
Oakland, MD 21550 85%875$64,921$233,300$196 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Shelby, NC 28150 85%576$55,832$211,400$159 cheaper homes ($26K less) · younger residents
Franklin, NC 28734 85%571$54,021$228,500$223 Very close on everything we compare
Spruce Pine, NC 28777 85%616$63,378$228,400$186 smaller · younger residents
West Branch, MI 48661 85%1,200$61,377$177,000$158 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller
Grayling, MI 49738 85%1,230$59,708$168,800$145 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller
Merrill, WI 54452 85%1,325$67,669$173,900$145 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller · younger residents
Waupaca, WI 54981 85%1,261$72,640$218,700$193 smaller · younger residents
Heber Springs, AR 72543 85%831$56,722$187,800$153 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller · younger residents
Belle Vernon, PA 15012 84%919$60,172$201,300$169 cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller · younger residents
Lexington, NC 27295 84%622$63,961$211,300$176 cheaper homes ($26K less) · younger residents
Rutherfordton, NC 28139 84%579$56,558$240,200$185 smaller · younger residents · newer homes
Burnsville, NC 28714 84%616$58,998$236,600$216 smaller · newer homes
Winchester, TN 37398 84%614$63,730$247,800$200 smaller · younger residents
Greeneville, TN 37743 84%633$54,566$214,800$181 younger residents · less walkable

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.