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 Port Ludlow, WA 98365

Port Ludlow: median income $98,776, home value $673,800, $355/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Harpswell, ME 04079 87%2,502$91,969$612,400$500 cheaper homes ($61K less) · older homes
Kewadin, MI 49648 86%1,771$93,272$633,500$414 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller · younger residents
Bend, OR 97707 86%287$85,272$647,600$432 cheaper homes ($26K less) · younger residents
Meadow Vista, CA 95722 85%622$125,625$697,800$369 higher income ($27K more) · older homes
Salem, SC 29676 84%2,217$92,798$416,800$270 cheaper homes ($257K less)
Corrales, NM 87048 84%1,203$102,004$574,000$319 cheaper homes ($100K less) · larger · younger residents
Edisto Island, SC 29438 83%2,436$86,979$642,400$452 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Oak Island, NC 28465 82%2,478$86,194$479,500$428 cheaper homes ($194K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Moultonborough, NH 03254 81%2,441$106,440$641,300$374 cheaper homes ($33K less) · younger residents · 9 min shorter commute
Union Hall, VA 24176 81%2,284$98,250$627,000$332 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller · younger residents
Empire, MI 49630 81%1,746$106,375$497,600$336 cheaper homes ($176K less) · smaller
Pocasset, MA 02559 80%2,540$90,855$625,400$413 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller · older homes
Tybee Island, GA 31328 80%2,435$109,631$619,800$427 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Yarmouth Port, MA 02675 79%2,556$110,450$607,900$424 cheaper homes ($66K less) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Kure Beach, NC 28449 79%2,485$107,563$759,700$410 pricier homes ($86K more) · smaller · younger residents
Harwich, MA 02645 78%2,564$104,401$648,200$483 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · younger residents
Sunset, SC 29685 78%2,220$116,742$828,500$381 pricier homes ($155K more) · smaller · younger residents
Crosslake, MN 56442 78%1,334$79,896$479,800$349 cheaper homes ($194K less) · smaller
Gold Canyon, AZ 85118 78%1,168$86,393$481,700$244 cheaper homes ($192K less) · larger
Pinetop, AZ 85935 78%1,160$73,333$437,200$326 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($237K less)
Placitas, NM 87043 78%1,202$109,750$562,100$294 cheaper homes ($112K less) · less walkable
Sandwich, MA 02563 77%2,545$121,455$617,800$441 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger · younger residents
Cotuit, MA 02635 77%2,550$110,197$683,600$490 younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Grand Lake, CO 80447 77%987$96,000$632,400$444 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller · younger residents
Penn Valley, CA 95946 77%607$84,795$565,700$257 cheaper homes ($108K less) · larger · 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.