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 Saint James City, FL 33956

Saint James City: median income $69,534, home value $318,200, $410/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Gold Beach, OR 97444 83%2,615$64,920$402,700$296 pricier homes ($85K more) · larger
Lakeside Marblehead, OH 43440 81%1,037$74,818$297,100$317 Very close on everything we compare
Thompson Falls, MT 59873 81%2,312$60,000$305,900$277 more single-family homes
Nehalem, OR 97131 81%2,643$70,833$459,000$356 pricier homes ($141K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Ocean Park, WA 98640 81%2,664$65,735$355,400$302 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Ellicottville, NY 14731 78%1,107$67,583$286,800$287 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · younger residents
Lakeside, OR 97449 77%2,619$66,000$316,700$272 smaller · 7 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Sunrise Beach, MO 65079 76%1,016$70,024$394,800$302 pricier homes ($77K more) · 5 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Fort Dick, CA 95538 76%2,595$67,024$292,900— cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Crawford, CO 81415 75%1,698$59,141$330,900$333 smaller · younger residents · more single-family homes
Dewey, AZ 86327 75%1,870$71,512$392,400$261 pricier homes ($74K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Center Conway, NH 03813 74%1,354$56,951$252,200$330 cheaper homes ($66K less) · younger residents
Chincoteague Island, VA 23336 74%880$63,464$346,700$288 pricier homes ($29K more) · younger residents · more renters
Medina, TX 78055 74%1,073$85,345$266,500$250 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Dove Creek, CO 81324 74%1,742$71,630$223,100— cheaper homes ($95K less) · smaller · younger residents
Brinnon, WA 98320 73%2,639$55,893$285,200$399 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller · 9 min longer commute
Renfrew, PA 16053 72%994$76,054$297,500$218 younger residents
Hiawassee, GA 30546 72%587$59,234$295,000$248 larger · 6 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Gravois Mills, MO 65037 72%1,022$66,360$284,100$256 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Kimberling City, MO 65686 72%965$58,363$257,300$197 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Ahwahnee, CA 93601 72%2,313$76,555$434,900$241 pricier homes ($117K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Penhook, VA 24137 71%732$65,361$210,400$451 cheaper homes ($108K less) · 13 min longer commute
Sunset Beach, NC 28468 71%551$83,358$412,000$244 pricier homes ($94K more) · larger · newer homes
Harkers Island, NC 28531 71%653$60,000$313,100$401 smaller · 12 min longer commute
Crumpler, NC 28617 71%688$62,204$244,600$271 cheaper homes ($74K 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.