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 Palm Harbor, FL 34684

Palm Harbor: median income $72,145, home value $342,400, $253/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Myrtle Beach, SC 29575 88%443$71,447$305,700$235 cheaper homes ($37K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Mesa, AZ 85205 87%1,754$73,283$339,900$256 larger · younger residents
Randallstown, MD 21133 83%851$80,480$322,800$194 younger residents
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 83%464$71,723$413,800$273 pricier homes ($71K more) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Gulf Shores, AL 36542 82%339$79,639$383,500$317 pricier homes ($41K more) · younger residents · newer homes
Boulder City, NV 89005 82%1,948$74,375$435,600$289 pricier homes ($93K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Old Orchard Beach, ME 04064 81%1,268$59,887$361,700$370 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Belfast, ME 04915 81%1,360$66,362$308,700$271 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Port Clinton, OH 43452 81%928$67,490$222,000$258 cheaper homes ($120K less) · smaller
Sterling Heights, MI 48314 81%1,004$85,889$331,500$182 younger residents
Apache Junction, AZ 85119 81%1,742$71,585$265,000$272 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Millsboro, DE 19966 80%848$78,305$317,500$193 newer homes
Lake Ozark, MO 65049 80%904$86,453$362,800$239 smaller · younger residents
North Royalton, OH 44133 79%916$83,717$292,500$184 cheaper homes ($50K less) · younger residents
Agawam, MA 01001 78%1,121$75,342$295,700$249 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller · younger residents
Canandaigua, NY 14424 78%1,066$79,778$269,500$233 cheaper homes ($73K less) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Willoughby, OH 44094 78%939$78,772$259,900$187 cheaper homes ($83K less) · younger residents
West Bend, WI 53095 78%1,102$80,830$305,400$207 cheaper homes ($37K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Mesa, AZ 85206 78%1,755$75,607$357,900$239 younger residents · more walkable
Mesa, AZ 85208 78%1,751$69,390$286,200$251 cheaper homes ($56K less) · younger residents
Mesa, AZ 85209 78%1,750$84,432$402,900$253 pricier homes ($61K more) · larger · younger residents
Traverse City, MI 49686 77%1,163$71,609$344,700$289 younger residents · 8 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Tucson, AZ 85715 77%1,698$85,069$370,000$219 pricier homes ($28K more) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Palm Desert, CA 92260 77%2,023$70,091$489,500$368 pricier homes ($147K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Mechanicville, NY 12118 76%1,141$92,710$345,800$267 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.