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 Sarasota, FL 34231

Sarasota: median income $69,925, home value $386,900, $270/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mesa, AZ 85205 87%1,786$73,283$339,900$256 cheaper homes ($47K less) · younger residents
Mesa, AZ 85206 87%1,786$75,607$357,900$239 cheaper homes ($29K less) · younger residents
Palm Springs, CA 92262 86%2,065$71,672$619,600$397 pricier homes ($233K more)
Colorado Springs, CO 80904 85%1,515$69,814$440,000$264 pricier homes ($53K more) · smaller · younger residents
Newport, OR 97365 85%2,578$64,363$441,700$344 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller
Cottonwood, AZ 86326 83%1,814$57,378$345,300$276 cheaper homes ($42K less) · newer homes
Palm Desert, CA 92260 83%2,055$70,091$489,500$368 pricier homes ($103K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Tucson, AZ 85715 82%1,727$85,069$370,000$219 smaller · younger residents
Albuquerque, NM 87107 81%1,521$61,672$311,800$264 cheaper homes ($75K less) · younger residents
Niles, IL 60714 80%1,063$75,800$358,900$284 cheaper homes ($28K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Phoenix, AZ 85020 80%1,806$83,735$447,200$289 pricier homes ($60K more) · younger residents
Boulder City, NV 89005 79%1,984$74,375$435,600$289 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Grass Valley, CA 95945 79%2,352$65,989$539,500$336 pricier homes ($153K more) · younger residents · less walkable
Santa Fe, NM 87505 78%1,488$78,247$507,800$374 pricier homes ($121K more)
Port Angeles, WA 98362 77%2,616$70,123$403,300$298 younger residents · more single-family homes · less walkable
Bethlehem, PA 18017 76%1,011$91,173$336,100$207 cheaper homes ($51K less) · younger residents
Richmond, VA 23227 76%774$69,187$364,900$242 younger residents · less walkable
Willoughby, OH 44094 76%994$78,772$259,900$187 cheaper homes ($127K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Mount Shasta, CA 96067 76%2,445$65,000$415,400$247 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Seaside, OR 97138 76%2,595$60,411$483,800$387 pricier homes ($97K more) · smaller · younger residents
Lincoln City, OR 97367 76%2,579$58,472$424,300$350 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Ventnor City, NJ 08406 75%954$69,099$363,000$448 smaller · older homes
Easthampton, MA 01027 74%1,176$74,146$375,700$310 smaller · younger residents · less walkable
Barre, VT 05641 74%1,295$76,855$253,200$203 cheaper homes ($134K less) · smaller · younger residents
Traverse City, MI 49686 74%1,221$71,609$344,700$289 cheaper homes ($42K less) · 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.