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.

Reset

Towns most like Laconia, NH 03246

Laconia: median income $73,241, home value $339,700, $305/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bishop, CA 93514 90%2,466$81,278$422,600$349 pricier homes ($83K more)
Tillamook, OR 97141 90%2,536$69,831$398,100$335 pricier homes ($58K more) · more single-family homes
Carson City, NV 89701 89%2,486$73,184$444,500$299 pricier homes ($105K more) · larger
Ketchikan, AK 99901 89%2,728$92,885$393,300$287 pricier homes ($54K more)
Easthampton, MA 01027 88%108$74,146$375,700$310 pricier homes ($36K more) · 6 min longer commute
Plainville, CT 06062 88%149$84,310$253,900$247 cheaper homes ($86K less)
Port Washington, WI 53074 88%821$79,423$296,600$233 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Willits, CA 95490 88%2,656$79,594$392,700$254 pricier homes ($53K more) · more single-family homes
Coos Bay, OR 97420 88%2,601$61,574$311,500$224 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Agawam, MA 01001 87%119$75,342$295,700$249 cheaper homes ($44K less) · 6 min longer commute
Sheridan, WY 82801 87%1,746$73,213$386,500$274 pricier homes ($47K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Hudson, NY 12534 86%147$72,741$316,700$307 8 min longer commute
Crescent City, CA 95531 86%2,632$67,458$351,400$247 younger residents · more walkable
Port Angeles, WA 98362 86%2,473$70,123$403,300$298 pricier homes ($64K more) · more single-family homes
Delavan, WI 53115 85%866$72,304$251,900$234 cheaper homes ($88K less)
Lewiston, ID 83501 85%2,196$73,629$340,600$224 larger · younger residents · more single-family homes
Spearfish, SD 57783 84%1,599$74,844$373,300$233 pricier homes ($34K more) · newer homes
The Dalles, OR 97058 84%2,411$62,181$370,100$252 pricier homes ($30K more) · younger residents
Cottage Grove, OR 97424 84%2,534$79,688$372,500$275 pricier homes ($33K more) · 7 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Buffalo, NY 14227 83%369$68,928$208,800$227 cheaper homes ($131K less)
Bellefonte, PA 16823 83%371$76,245$272,800$188 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger
Pensacola, FL 32507 83%1,259$73,540$318,200$242 larger · 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548 83%1,231$65,342$321,200$251 younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Vero Beach, FL 32960 83%1,208$54,682$280,000$211 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Saukville, WI 53080 83%825$80,360$313,500$234 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller

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.