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 34238

Sarasota: median income $97,926, home value $574,600, $255/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Palm Desert, CA 92211 91%2,056$88,477$583,900$305 Very close on everything we compare
Lewes, DE 19958 89%899$97,197$534,600$266 cheaper homes ($40K less) · more single-family homes
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 89%901$102,146$608,800$339 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller
Pawleys Island, SC 29585 85%473$81,946$463,400$273 cheaper homes ($111K less) · more single-family homes
Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 84%358$97,948$639,400$351 pricier homes ($65K more) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Fountain Hills, AZ 85268 84%1,791$112,795$623,400$336 pricier homes ($49K more) · more single-family homes
Ocean View, DE 19970 83%891$94,103$526,600$266 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Chandler, AZ 85248 82%1,796$94,495$527,800$275 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger · younger residents
Tucson, AZ 85750 81%1,731$102,836$585,300$281 younger residents
Saint Simons Island, GA 31522 80%284$108,632$571,100$344 7 min shorter commute
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 79%2,061$107,364$807,200$380 pricier homes ($233K more) · older homes
Ocean Isle Beach, NC 28469 77%518$90,684$463,200$244 cheaper homes ($111K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657 77%987$91,452$483,200$281 cheaper homes ($91K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Tucson, AZ 85737 75%1,738$107,348$469,500$246 cheaper homes ($105K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Selbyville, DE 19975 74%883$88,568$462,700$280 cheaper homes ($112K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Kennebunk, ME 04043 72%1,299$107,804$487,700$378 cheaper homes ($87K less) · smaller · younger residents
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 72%509$71,723$413,800$273 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($161K less)
Galveston, TX 77554 72%772$86,490$466,800$340 cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller · younger residents
Hampton, NH 03842 71%1,266$95,422$548,500$423 cheaper homes ($26K less) · younger residents · older homes
Mesa, AZ 85215 71%1,789$98,831$441,000$278 cheaper homes ($134K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Mashpee, MA 02649 70%1,203$95,299$562,200$420 smaller · younger residents · more single-family homes
Pinehurst, NC 28374 70%577$111,311$491,200$246 cheaper homes ($83K less) · more single-family homes
Sunset Beach, NC 28468 70%516$83,358$412,000$244 cheaper homes ($163K less) · smaller
Seneca, SC 29672 70%521$90,650$482,100$271 cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller · younger residents
Williamsburg, VA 23188 69%772$103,160$449,900$224 cheaper homes ($125K less) · 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.