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 Dauphin Island, AL 36528

Dauphin Island: median income $67,206, home value $432,200, $312/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lake Lure, NC 28746 92%497$70,469$470,700$313 pricier homes ($39K more)
Oriental, NC 28571 91%741$63,393$372,500$257 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Pinetop, AZ 85935 90%1,300$73,333$437,200$326 larger
Freedom, NH 03836 89%1,322$66,136$389,000$344 cheaper homes ($43K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Garden Valley, ID 83622 89%1,787$65,625$576,800$332 pricier homes ($145K more)
Anderson Island, WA 98303 88%2,174$80,282$546,300$302 pricier homes ($114K more)
Hackensack, MN 56452 87%1,206$62,941$352,700$300 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Westcliffe, CO 81252 87%1,127$69,527$401,900$258 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
Mancos, CO 81328 86%1,255$72,522$412,700$293 larger · younger residents
Swanton, MD 21561 85%811$73,858$328,700$295 cheaper homes ($104K less) · younger residents
Deltaville, VA 23043 85%841$70,625$420,600$315 older homes
Huddleston, VA 24104 85%687$65,738$339,300$308 cheaper homes ($93K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Point Roberts, WA 98281 85%2,235$78,125$483,900$270 pricier homes ($52K more) · older homes
Mercer, WI 54547 84%1,105$63,500$306,600$296 cheaper homes ($126K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Crosslake, MN 56442 84%1,180$79,896$479,800$349 pricier homes ($48K more) · more renters
Alto, NM 88312 84%1,053$80,345$304,100$297 cheaper homes ($128K less) · larger
Kents Hill, ME 04349 83%1,388$59,500$257,600$307 cheaper homes ($175K less)
Saluda, NC 28773 83%481$70,703$413,700$319 larger · younger residents · more renters
Tower, MN 55790 83%1,233$77,232$328,900$339 cheaper homes ($103K less) · older homes
Merrifield, MN 56465 83%1,171$74,400$372,100$337 cheaper homes ($60K less) · younger residents
Happy Jack, AZ 86024 83%1,385$73,421$526,000$321 pricier homes ($94K more) · smaller · older residents
Windham, NY 12496 82%1,133$59,286$314,200$288 cheaper homes ($118K less) · smaller
Townsend, TN 37882 82%452$69,012$344,500$315 cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger · more renters
Three Lakes, WI 54562 82%1,076$57,422$326,300$370 cheaper homes ($106K less) · older homes
Cable, WI 54821 82%1,116$57,813$321,400$268 cheaper homes ($111K less) · more renters · older homes

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.