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 Fairhope, AL 36532

Fairhope: median income $89,694, home value $432,600, $230/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Wilmington, NC 28411 91%644$97,387$396,400$260 cheaper homes ($36K less) · younger residents
Jacksonville, FL 32223 91%374$95,347$409,900$225 older homes
Milton, DE 19968 90%914$87,163$437,000$240 smaller
Pittsboro, NC 27312 90%621$103,104$467,900$274 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller
Port Orange, FL 32128 90%423$95,831$422,300$225 smaller
Melbourne, FL 32940 90%461$110,495$467,000$250 pricier homes ($34K more)
Lenoir City, TN 37772 90%422$100,711$429,800$234 smaller
Wimberley, TX 78676 90%611$87,344$511,600$281 pricier homes ($79K more) · smaller
Berlin, MD 21811 89%903$90,082$388,900$265 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller · older residents
Clemmons, NC 27012 89%577$96,250$340,900$179 cheaper homes ($92K less) · younger residents
Durham, NC 27712 89%645$91,331$372,600$223 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller · younger residents
Weaverville, NC 28787 89%474$78,604$401,700$266 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Hillsborough, NC 27278 88%637$105,887$414,100$235 younger residents
Aiken, SC 29803 88%418$86,023$298,800$173 cheaper homes ($134K less)
Bluffton, SC 29910 88%431$98,912$487,000$259 pricier homes ($54K more) · younger residents
Gulf Breeze, FL 32563 88%52$100,396$388,000$221 cheaper homes ($45K less) · younger residents
Huntley, IL 60142 88%807$89,735$339,900$217 cheaper homes ($93K less)
Tucson, AZ 85742 88%1,370$98,844$368,300$228 cheaper homes ($64K less) · younger residents
Tucson, AZ 85743 88%1,377$90,093$356,300$221 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Henderson, NV 89044 88%1,616$108,155$570,700$263 pricier homes ($138K more)
Barnegat, NJ 08005 87%999$93,584$395,800$267 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Beaufort, SC 29907 87%445$97,446$428,000$259 smaller · younger residents
Greensboro, GA 30642 87%348$95,527$496,400$262 pricier homes ($64K more) · smaller · older residents
Fleming Island, FL 32003 87%369$116,611$422,400$209 higher income ($27K more)
Niceville, FL 32578 87%83$108,972$447,700$257 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.