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 34235

Sarasota: median income $78,958, home value $370,400, $218/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Myrtle Beach, SC 29575 85%480$71,447$305,700$235 cheaper homes ($65K less) · 5 min shorter commute · less walkable
Boulder City, NV 89005 84%1,983$74,375$435,600$289 pricier homes ($65K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 82%501$71,723$413,800$273 pricier homes ($43K more) · less walkable
Mesa, AZ 85205 82%1,785$73,283$339,900$256 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger · younger residents
Tucson, AZ 85715 82%1,727$85,069$370,000$219 younger residents
Lake Ozark, MO 65049 78%953$86,453$362,800$239 smaller · younger residents · less walkable
Phoenix, OR 97535 78%2,480$66,052$418,400$264 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Belfast, ME 04915 77%1,395$66,362$308,700$271 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller · less walkable
Mesa, AZ 85215 77%1,786$98,831$441,000$278 pricier homes ($71K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Mesa, AZ 85206 76%1,786$75,607$357,900$239 larger · younger residents · more renters
Sterling Heights, MI 48314 75%1,054$85,889$331,500$182 cheaper homes ($39K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Palm Desert, CA 92211 75%2,052$88,477$583,900$305 pricier homes ($214K more) · larger · older residents
North Conway, NH 03860 74%1,313$71,759$401,500$281 pricier homes ($31K more) · smaller · more renters
Lewiston, NY 14092 74%1,109$72,218$279,900$199 cheaper homes ($91K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572 74%493$85,247$427,400$281 pricier homes ($57K more) · 6 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Murrells Inlet, SC 29576 74%474$70,691$340,400$228 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · more homeowners
Palm Desert, CA 92260 74%2,054$70,091$489,500$368 pricier homes ($119K more) · larger · more renters
Mount Shasta, CA 96067 74%2,442$65,000$415,400$247 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller · younger residents
Depoe Bay, OR 97341 74%2,578$66,331$337,400$363 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller
Long Beach, WA 98631 74%2,605$71,705$409,400$335 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Old Orchard Beach, ME 04064 73%1,304$59,887$361,700$370 smaller · less walkable
Branford, CT 06405 73%1,107$105,225$401,200$286 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($31K more) · larger
Osage Beach, MO 65065 73%949$60,785$371,600$263 smaller · 5 min shorter commute · less walkable
Morrisville, VT 05661 72%1,307$67,052$304,700$264 cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller · younger residents
Allentown, PA 18106 72%994$92,813$412,200$233 pricier homes ($42K more) · 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.