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 Harkers Island, NC 28531

Harkers Island: median income $60,000, home value $313,100, $401/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Brinnon, WA 98320 91%2,529$55,893$285,200$399 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Mears, MI 49436 85%815$67,279$255,000$285 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger
Lakeside, OR 97449 84%2,587$66,000$316,700$272 larger · 5 min shorter commute
Penhook, VA 24137 82%232$65,361$210,400$451 cheaper homes ($103K less) · larger
Riverside, WA 98849 82%2,380$63,875$277,200$408 cheaper homes ($36K less) · 6 min longer commute · more renters
Pittsburg, NH 03592 81%768$61,094$279,500$293 cheaper homes ($34K less) · more single-family homes
Superior, MT 59872 81%2,152$55,926$396,600$387 pricier homes ($84K more) · larger · younger residents
Valley, WA 99181 81%2,294$63,661$267,600$218 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Whitehall, MT 59759 80%2,007$60,571$353,900$335 pricier homes ($41K more) · larger · younger residents
Hotchkiss, CO 81419 78%1,741$59,735$364,200$324 pricier homes ($51K more) · larger · younger residents
Morton, WA 98356 78%2,493$60,060$308,500$279 larger · more single-family homes
Randle, WA 98377 78%2,474$56,167$424,300$397 pricier homes ($111K more) · larger · younger residents
Black Canyon City, AZ 85324 77%2,018$47,465$288,500$256 larger · newer homes
Elizaville, NY 12523 76%532$54,235$343,400$322 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger · younger residents
Welaka, FL 32193 76%467$56,528$280,600$225 cheaper homes ($33K less) · 5 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Holcombe, WI 54745 76%1,059$67,891$255,200$252 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Finlayson, MN 55735 76%1,168$63,827$271,200$284 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger · younger residents
Mcgregor, MN 55760 76%1,199$59,474$274,600$276 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Isle, MN 56342 76%1,187$63,295$246,500$269 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Kooskia, ID 83539 76%2,191$57,885$347,500$260 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Waterford, ME 04088 75%726$63,750$276,800$329 cheaper homes ($36K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Prattsville, NY 12468 75%538$51,875$241,100$278 cheaper homes ($72K less) · younger residents
Steinhatchee, FL 32359 75%528$51,125$228,100$275 cheaper homes ($85K less) · 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Palmyra, TN 37142 75%626$59,083$267,400$254 cheaper homes ($46K less) · 6 min longer commute · less walkable
White Sulphur Springs, MT 59645 75%1,967$77,241$287,800$300 cheaper homes ($25K less) · 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.