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 Alexandria Bay, NY 13607

Alexandria Bay: median income $66,500, home value $176,100, $473/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dove Creek, CO 81324 78%1,765$71,630$223,100— pricier homes ($47K more) · newer homes
Gettysburg, SD 57442 72%1,179$65,625$134,600— cheaper homes ($42K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
West Middlesex, PA 16159 71%317$69,391$178,000— larger · younger residents · more homeowners
Westport, WA 98595 71%2,299$66,579$260,400$315 pricier homes ($84K more) · newer homes
Monterey, VA 24465 67%452$61,379$202,500$357 pricier homes ($26K more) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Bayfield, WI 54814 66%740$63,682$250,000$268 pricier homes ($74K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Walden, CO 80480 66%1,557$49,167$230,700$372 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Grand Coulee, WA 99133 66%2,050$68,854$229,900$265 pricier homes ($54K more) · smaller · younger residents
Chincoteague Island, VA 23336 65%444$63,464$346,700$288 pricier homes ($171K more) · larger · more homeowners
Elk Rapids, MI 49629 65%468$65,302$394,600$333 pricier homes ($219K more) · more homeowners
Saint Germain, WI 54558 65%670$59,718$261,000$345 pricier homes ($85K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Ely, MN 55731 65%800$62,008$206,000$274 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Lamoure, ND 58458 65%1,095$73,250$172,300— smaller · younger residents · more homeowners
Burwell, NE 68823 65%1,179$61,974$174,100— younger residents · more single-family homes
Belfast, ME 04915 64%341$66,362$308,700$271 pricier homes ($133K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Crawford, CO 81415 64%1,674$59,141$330,900$333 pricier homes ($155K more) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Center Conway, NH 03813 63%242$56,951$252,200$330 pricier homes ($76K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
New Rockford, ND 58356 63%1,123$51,042$123,500— cheaper homes ($53K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Terry, MT 59349 63%1,426$63,000$158,100— smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Malta, MT 59538 63%1,536$57,097$191,800— younger residents
Del Norte, CO 81132 63%1,645$55,000$209,500$235 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · younger residents
Cape Charles, VA 23310 62%488$62,500$377,300$318 pricier homes ($201K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Cooperstown, ND 58425 62%1,087$59,773$122,500— cheaper homes ($54K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Mora, NM 87732 62%1,646$69,421$135,200$262 cheaper homes ($41K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Crumpler, NC 28617 61%615$62,204$244,600$271 pricier homes ($69K more) · 9 min longer commute · newer homes

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.