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 34233

Sarasota: median income $75,394, home value $411,600, $226/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Tucson, AZ 85715 94%1,729$85,069$370,000$219 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Mesa, AZ 85205 87%1,788$73,283$339,900$256 cheaper homes ($72K less) · larger
Mesa, AZ 85206 86%1,788$75,607$357,900$239 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · younger residents
Boulder City, NV 89005 85%1,985$74,375$435,600$289 Very close on everything we compare
Traverse City, MI 49686 83%1,220$71,609$344,700$289 cheaper homes ($67K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Asheville, NC 28805 82%574$75,151$412,500$281 younger residents
Louisville, KY 40243 82%777$77,587$323,200$196 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller
Allentown, PA 18106 81%999$92,813$412,200$233 smaller · younger residents
Myrtle Beach, SC 29575 80%485$71,447$305,700$235 cheaper homes ($106K less) · less walkable
Dayton, OH 45459 80%860$89,592$302,100$160 cheaper homes ($110K less)
Morrisville, VT 05661 79%1,312$67,052$304,700$264 cheaper homes ($107K less) · smaller
Colorado Springs, CO 80904 79%1,516$69,814$440,000$264 pricier homes ($28K more) · younger residents · more renters
Mount Shasta, CA 96067 79%2,446$65,000$415,400$247 smaller
Phoenix, OR 97535 79%2,484$66,052$418,400$264 smaller
Bethlehem, PA 18017 78%1,009$91,173$336,100$207 cheaper homes ($76K less) · larger · younger residents
Easton, MD 21601 78%876$83,680$376,400$232 cheaper homes ($35K less) · less walkable
Willoughby, OH 44094 78%993$78,772$259,900$187 cheaper homes ($152K less) · larger · younger residents
Racine, WI 53406 78%1,109$82,792$289,700$188 cheaper homes ($122K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076 78%1,345$93,847$323,000$191 cheaper homes ($89K less) · younger residents
Grand Junction, CO 81506 78%1,705$78,651$448,300$263 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Mesa, AZ 85209 78%1,783$84,432$402,900$253 larger · younger residents · less walkable
Mesa, AZ 85215 78%1,788$98,831$441,000$278 pricier homes ($29K more) · less walkable
Cottonwood, AZ 86326 78%1,815$57,378$345,300$276 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Albuquerque, NM 87107 78%1,523$61,672$311,800$264 cheaper homes ($100K less) · younger residents · older homes
Portland, OR 97224 78%2,533$98,125$599,600$288 pricier homes ($188K more) · larger · 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.