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 Rio Grande, NJ 08242

Rio Grande: median income $93,250, home value $318,300, $221/sq ft, 15-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Daleville, VA 24083 82%295$109,207$391,500$187 pricier homes ($73K more) · less walkable
Manchester Center, VT 05255 81%302$91,058$445,500$270 pricier homes ($127K more) · older homes
Baudette, MN 56623 80%1,183$87,750$232,800$160 cheaper homes ($86K less) · smaller · less walkable
Lake Ozark, MO 65049 80%961$86,453$362,800$239 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Phoenix, OR 97535 80%2,490$66,052$418,400$264 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($100K more)
Allentown, PA 18106 79%114$92,813$412,200$233 pricier homes ($94K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Winchester, OR 97495 79%2,501$77,986$451,300$255 pricier homes ($133K more) · smaller
Kanab, UT 84741 78%2,039$85,417$418,100$255 pricier homes ($100K more) · larger · younger residents
Renfrew, PA 16053 77%297$76,054$297,500$218 7 min longer commute · less walkable
Grand Junction, CO 81506 77%1,796$78,651$448,300$263 pricier homes ($130K more) · larger
Port Hadlock, WA 98339 77%2,437$77,778$409,800$350 pricier homes ($92K more) · older homes
Haines, AK 99827 77%2,946$85,208$290,000$245 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
South Deerfield, MA 01373 76%266$106,413$413,500$250 pricier homes ($95K more) · older homes
Selkirk, NY 12158 76%250$97,419$315,100$242 7 min longer commute · less walkable
Milford, IA 51351 76%1,093$73,824$273,100$184 cheaper homes ($45K less) · more single-family homes · older homes
Fort Pierre, SD 57532 76%1,362$87,966$210,000$155 cheaper homes ($108K less) · younger residents
Swanzey, NH 03446 75%296$85,484$262,100$228 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute
East Windsor, CT 06088 75%233$79,375$193,000$238 cheaper homes ($125K less) · older homes
Clear Lake, IA 50428 75%1,003$81,037$283,400$232 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger · older homes
Lake City, MN 55041 75%970$78,672$275,200$221 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Tyler, TX 75709 75%1,238$75,625$240,600$176 cheaper homes ($78K less) · 7 min longer commute · less walkable
Lake Katrine, NY 12449 74%211$93,750$320,000$249 more renters · less walkable · older homes
Myrtle Beach, SC 29575 74%437$71,447$305,700$235 larger
Galena, IL 61036 74%846$81,989$279,000$178 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger · older residents
Medical Lake, WA 99022 74%2,203$93,812$389,700$245 pricier homes ($71K more) · 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.