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 Manteo, NC 27954

Manteo: median income $80,587, home value $418,400, $374/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sublimity, OR 97385 91%2,519$84,796$494,600$308 pricier homes ($76K more) · smaller
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210 89%229$90,013$370,500$283 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger
East Helena, MT 59635 89%2,001$83,740$395,600$277 6 min longer commute
Columbia Falls, MT 59912 89%2,125$76,617$488,800$399 pricier homes ($70K more) · larger
Fruita, CO 81521 89%1,815$88,458$422,900$294 larger
Blue Hill, ME 04614 88%698$80,377$399,500$276 smaller
Manhattan, MT 59741 88%1,965$90,947$615,200$382 pricier homes ($197K more)
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 88%1,735$84,270$486,000$342 pricier homes ($68K more) · larger · older residents
Sandpoint, ID 83864 88%2,231$70,496$516,500$381 pricier homes ($98K more) · larger
Philomath, OR 97370 88%2,550$88,091$463,200$279 pricier homes ($45K more)
Blaine, WA 98230 88%2,517$86,623$499,800$316 pricier homes ($81K more) · larger
Medical Lake, WA 99022 88%2,280$93,812$389,700$245 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Williams, AZ 86046 87%2,036$79,095$418,700$323 Very close on everything we compare
Homer, AK 99603 87%3,632$78,767$373,500$310 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
Three Forks, MT 59752 86%1,977$86,767$461,100$334 pricier homes ($43K more) · 6 min longer commute
Bayfield, CO 81122 86%1,766$93,714$459,800$322 pricier homes ($41K more) · 5 min longer commute
Montrose, CO 81403 86%1,777$80,893$515,300$311 pricier homes ($97K more) · larger · older residents
Grand Junction, CO 81505 86%1,808$90,830$467,800$294 pricier homes ($49K more) · larger
Moab, UT 84532 86%1,861$68,444$549,400$392 pricier homes ($131K more)
Kanab, UT 84741 86%2,036$85,417$418,100$255 5 min shorter commute
South Beach, OR 97366 86%2,582$85,577$541,400$366 pricier homes ($123K more) · smaller
Eastpoint, FL 32328 85%679$80,877$326,100$482 cheaper homes ($92K less) · smaller
Traverse City, MI 49685 85%806$84,590$358,500$261 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger · younger residents
Dolores, CO 81323 85%1,812$75,393$392,000$291 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Creswell, OR 97426 85%2,534$90,125$488,000$284 pricier homes ($70K more)

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.