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 Southwest Harbor, ME 04679

Southwest Harbor: median income $59,205, home value $428,500, $456/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cape Charles, VA 23310 79%627$62,500$377,300$318 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger · older residents
Lake Placid, NY 12946 76%280$77,548$467,000$363 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger
Gatlinburg, TN 37738 76%994$57,330$334,100$361 cheaper homes ($94K less) · larger · younger residents
West Yellowstone, MT 59758 75%2,085$66,375$577,200$470 pricier homes ($149K more) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Clark Fork, ID 83811 75%2,266$44,930$297,700$403 cheaper homes ($131K less) · younger residents
Joseph, OR 97846 75%2,360$71,471$383,200$341 cheaper homes ($45K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Ludlow, VT 05149 74%226$64,191$365,300$300 cheaper homes ($63K less) · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners
Rockaway Beach, OR 97136 74%2,666$66,106$375,000$372 cheaper homes ($54K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Gardiner, MT 59030 73%2,052$56,542$593,000$812 pricier homes ($165K more) · smaller
Diamond Springs, CA 95619 73%2,698$66,429$373,900$321 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Peshastin, WA 98847 73%2,475$68,814$380,100$359 cheaper homes ($48K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Cloverdale, OR 97112 72%2,668$61,061$411,500$415 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Chelan, WA 98816 72%2,444$82,577$499,200$421 pricier homes ($71K more) · larger
Okoboji, IA 51355 70%1,332$72,262$421,100$340 older residents · more homeowners · more apartments and townhomes
Lac Du Flambeau, WI 54538 70%1,054$51,429$320,300$398 cheaper homes ($108K less) · larger · more homeowners
Ranchester, WY 82839 70%1,893$57,708$385,900$324 cheaper homes ($43K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Blue Lake, CA 95525 70%2,781$57,379$478,600$224 pricier homes ($50K more) · older residents
Durham, CA 95938 70%2,717$82,974$611,700$368 pricier homes ($183K more) · larger
Halfway, OR 97834 70%2,364$43,889$366,300— cheaper homes ($62K less) · 5 min shorter commute · older homes
Westport, WA 98595 70%2,646$66,579$260,400$315 cheaper homes ($168K less) · larger · older residents
Twisp, WA 98856 70%2,441$70,089$484,600$320 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger · more homeowners
Hamilton, MT 59840 69%2,202$61,752$428,100$343 larger · more homeowners
Moyie Springs, ID 83845 69%2,258$72,695$373,700$325 cheaper homes ($55K less) · more homeowners · less walkable
Santa Margarita, CA 93453 69%2,776$78,288$710,000$721 pricier homes ($282K more) · larger · older residents
Garberville, CA 95542 69%2,801$46,104$395,500$212 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger

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.