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 34239

Sarasota: median income $80,923, home value $475,700, $371/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Buzzards Bay, MA 02532 83%1,204$87,773$497,600$374 less walkable
Westbrook, CT 06498 82%1,122$91,202$434,300$328 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller · less walkable
Cape May, NJ 08204 82%917$82,466$461,400$536 less walkable · newer homes
Niantic, CT 06357 81%1,131$93,026$397,300$301 cheaper homes ($78K less) · less walkable
Carson City, NV 89703 80%2,284$85,230$626,500$330 pricier homes ($151K more) · less walkable · newer homes
Lee, MA 01238 78%1,160$84,591$355,700$297 cheaper homes ($120K less) · smaller · less walkable
Westerly, RI 02891 78%1,145$97,110$470,000$369 less walkable
South Yarmouth, MA 02664 77%1,213$82,125$551,400$474 pricier homes ($76K more) · less walkable
Great Barrington, MA 01230 76%1,151$86,694$527,300$378 pricier homes ($52K more) · smaller · younger residents
South Dartmouth, MA 02748 76%1,182$97,361$521,800$377 pricier homes ($46K more) · less walkable
Florence, MA 01062 75%1,175$87,588$421,000$358 cheaper homes ($55K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Ventnor City, NJ 08406 75%951$69,099$363,000$448 cheaper homes ($113K less) · smaller · more renters
Boulder City, NV 89005 75%1,982$74,375$435,600$289 cheaper homes ($40K less) · less walkable · newer homes
Burlington, VT 05408 74%1,295$95,018$400,600$335 cheaper homes ($75K less) · younger residents
Milford, CT 06460 74%1,101$104,360$412,600$347 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger · younger residents
Middlesex, NJ 08846 74%1,024$105,000$446,400$378 cheaper homes ($29K less) · younger residents
Niles, IL 60714 74%1,060$75,800$358,900$284 cheaper homes ($117K less) · larger · younger residents
Santa Fe, NM 87505 74%1,486$78,247$507,800$374 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger · more renters
Fairhaven, MA 02719 73%1,189$95,965$446,700$339 cheaper homes ($29K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Greenville, RI 02828 73%1,181$97,196$440,900$291 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller · less walkable
Rumford, RI 02916 73%1,186$95,263$404,100$273 cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller · younger residents
Manitou Springs, CO 80829 73%1,515$91,275$572,100$336 pricier homes ($96K more) · smaller · younger residents
Portland, OR 97267 73%2,521$87,418$533,400$295 pricier homes ($58K more) · larger · younger residents
Port Townsend, WA 98368 73%2,585$69,688$554,300$385 pricier homes ($79K more) · 6 min shorter commute · less walkable
Rochelle Park, NJ 07662 72%1,055$110,380$498,500$410 higher income ($29K 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.