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 34236

Sarasota: median income $95,881, home value $1,018,100, $648/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ocean City, NJ 08226 67%944$101,782$840,500$816 cheaper homes ($178K less) · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Palm Springs, CA 92264 55%2,060$77,688$560,100$388 cheaper homes ($458K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Scottsdale, AZ 85258 54%1,794$114,111$846,000$462 cheaper homes ($172K less) · larger · younger residents
Capitola, CA 95010 50%2,381$105,236$828,700$906 cheaper homes ($189K less) · smaller · younger residents
Pismo Beach, CA 93449 48%2,301$118,072$1,021,300$777 smaller · younger residents · more single-family homes
Ketchum, ID 83340 47%2,102$93,556$958,600$1,047 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller · younger residents
Walnut Creek, CA 94595 47%2,393$100,552$860,600$501 cheaper homes ($158K less) · 8 min longer commute · more homeowners
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 46%351$97,576$797,700$489 cheaper homes ($220K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Honolulu, HI 96815 46%4,689$77,096$621,000$824 cheaper homes ($397K less) · larger · younger residents
Wildwood, NJ 08260 45%920$79,699$469,400$508 cheaper homes ($549K less) · younger residents · older homes
Winter Park, CO 80482 44%1,587$65,137$775,300$729 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($243K less) · smaller
Honolulu, HI 96813 43%4,689$91,690$819,700$723 cheaper homes ($198K less) · larger · younger residents
Spring Lake, NJ 07762 42%1,011$116,295$927,700$705 cheaper homes ($90K less) · smaller · younger residents
Seal Beach, CA 90740 42%2,150$85,347$484,100$453 cheaper homes ($534K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Brigantine, NJ 08203 41%958$97,250$524,800$496 cheaper homes ($493K less) · smaller · younger residents
Vail, CO 81657 41%1,606$100,573$1,501,800$1,169 pricier homes ($484K more) · smaller · younger residents
Scottsdale, AZ 85250 41%1,794$95,761$583,300$362 cheaper homes ($435K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Denver, CO 80230 40%1,539$99,750$829,000$324 cheaper homes ($189K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Palm Desert, CA 92260 40%2,052$70,091$489,500$368 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($529K less) · larger
Palm Springs, CA 92262 40%2,061$71,672$619,600$397 cheaper homes ($399K less) · larger · younger residents
Yountville, CA 94599 40%2,413$80,372$808,900$1,015 cheaper homes ($209K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Sausalito, CA 94965 40%2,416$146,946$1,537,800$878 higher income ($51K more) · pricier homes ($520K more) · younger residents
Falmouth, MA 02540 39%1,193$77,295$844,500$485 cheaper homes ($174K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Sea Isle City, NJ 08243 39%934$108,359$1,087,300$934 pricier homes ($69K more) · smaller · 10 min longer commute
Ocean City, MD 21842 39%875$79,876$447,700$437 cheaper homes ($570K less) · younger residents · more homeowners

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.