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 Desert, CA 92260

Palm Desert: median income $70,091, home value $489,500, $368/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dunedin, FL 34698 86%2,022$74,078$392,300$315 cheaper homes ($97K less)
Wildwood, NJ 08260 84%2,320$79,699$469,400$508 smaller · more walkable
Delray Beach, FL 33445 83%2,214$78,163$326,700$241 cheaper homes ($163K less) · younger residents
Sarasota, FL 34231 83%2,055$69,925$386,900$270 cheaper homes ($103K less) · more single-family homes
Daytona Beach, FL 32118 82%2,097$61,266$368,800$253 cheaper homes ($121K less) · smaller
Saint Petersburg, FL 33707 82%2,031$69,951$378,000$315 cheaper homes ($112K less) · 5 min longer commute · older homes
Panama City Beach, FL 32413 81%1,794$80,039$441,300$334 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller · younger residents
Jensen Beach, FL 34957 80%2,187$70,403$416,700$330 cheaper homes ($73K less) · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners
Clearwater, FL 33764 79%2,027$67,256$329,900$258 cheaper homes ($160K less) · younger residents
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 78%2,154$71,723$413,800$273 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Panama City, FL 32408 78%1,808$80,822$382,300$316 cheaper homes ($107K less) · smaller · younger residents
North Palm Beach, FL 33408 78%2,207$92,216$611,400$406 pricier homes ($122K more) · smaller
Ocean City, MD 21842 77%2,310$79,876$447,700$437 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller · younger residents
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572 77%2,146$85,247$427,400$281 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Boca Raton, FL 33434 77%2,212$77,269$412,900$330 cheaper homes ($77K less) · more homeowners
Bradenton, FL 34209 77%2,044$81,728$390,700$256 cheaper homes ($99K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Palm Harbor, FL 34684 77%2,023$72,145$342,400$253 cheaper homes ($147K less) · 7 min longer commute
Old Orchard Beach, ME 04064 76%2,539$59,887$361,700$370 cheaper homes ($128K less) · smaller · less walkable
Bradenton, FL 34210 76%2,044$64,244$301,200$232 cheaper homes ($188K less) · smaller
Newport, OR 97365 76%859$64,363$441,700$344 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller · younger residents
Naples, FL 34112 75%2,129$69,842$336,600$248 cheaper homes ($153K less) · more homeowners · less walkable
Cocoa Beach, FL 32931 74%2,139$89,457$532,300$353 pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Pompano Beach, FL 33062 74%2,220$83,582$557,600$410 pricier homes ($68K more) · 6 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Naples, FL 34113 74%2,132$81,674$480,000$323 less walkable · newer homes
Sarasota, FL 34235 74%2,054$78,958$370,400$218 cheaper homes ($119K less) · smaller · more homeowners

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.