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 South Padre Island, TX 78597

South Padre Island: median income $68,421, home value $527,200, $373/sq ft, 13-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572 70%1,214$85,247$427,400$281 cheaper homes ($100K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Atlantic Beach, NC 28512 68%1,347$91,488$565,400$456 pricier homes ($38K more) · 10 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Winter Park, CO 80482 68%1,065$65,137$775,300$729 pricier homes ($248K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Ocean City, MD 21842 67%1,532$79,876$447,700$437 cheaper homes ($80K less) · larger · younger residents
Boca Raton, FL 33434 61%1,053$77,269$412,900$330 cheaper homes ($114K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Okoboji, IA 51355 61%1,191$72,262$421,100$340 cheaper homes ($106K less) · smaller · younger residents
Sister Bay, WI 54234 61%1,423$74,583$456,300$339 cheaper homes ($71K less) · more single-family homes
Palm Springs, CA 92264 61%1,266$77,688$560,100$388 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Naples, FL 34105 60%956$92,214$594,000$277 pricier homes ($67K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
North Woodstock, NH 03262 59%1,880$85,667$319,800$273 cheaper homes ($207K less) · smaller · younger residents
Warren, VT 05674 59%1,835$86,905$569,300$359 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller · younger residents
North Palm Beach, FL 33408 58%1,059$92,216$611,400$406 pricier homes ($84K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Boca Raton, FL 33487 57%1,058$96,066$632,100$439 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($105K more) · larger
Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931 56%943$79,018$527,900$462 larger · older residents · 8 min longer commute
Miramar Beach, FL 32550 55%719$101,250$741,600$458 higher income ($33K more) · pricier homes ($214K more) · larger
Naples, FL 34112 55%958$69,842$336,600$248 cheaper homes ($191K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Lincoln, NH 03251 54%1,882$70,625$342,000$364 cheaper homes ($185K less) · smaller · younger residents
Palm Desert, CA 92260 53%1,256$70,091$489,500$368 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Laguna Woods, CA 92637 53%1,328$59,269$394,600$415 cheaper homes ($133K less) · larger · older residents
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 52%1,224$71,723$413,800$273 cheaper homes ($113K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 52%1,071$97,576$797,700$489 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($271K more) · larger
Cocoa Beach, FL 32931 52%1,028$89,457$532,300$353 larger · 13 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Old Orchard Beach, ME 04064 51%1,918$59,887$361,700$370 cheaper homes ($166K less) · larger · younger residents
Carolina Beach, NC 28428 51%1,270$93,241$572,700$417 pricier homes ($46K more) · larger · younger residents
Cape Canaveral, FL 32920 51%1,028$66,955$372,400$249 cheaper homes ($155K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute

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.