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 Blowing Rock, NC 28605

Blowing Rock: median income $76,477, home value $552,400, $507/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Salida, CO 81201 89%1,341$80,248$674,000$428 pricier homes ($122K more) · larger
Bar Harbor, ME 04609 86%908$77,180$538,400$376 older residents
Stowe, VT 05672 85%745$93,618$647,800$433 pricier homes ($95K more)
Whitefish, MT 59937 85%1,853$75,428$698,200$567 pricier homes ($146K more) · larger
Driggs, ID 83422 85%1,634$96,530$548,600$486 younger residents
Lake Placid, NY 12946 81%694$77,548$467,000$363 cheaper homes ($85K less) · 8 min shorter commute
White Salmon, WA 98672 81%2,155$97,622$669,200$415 pricier homes ($117K more) · larger
Twisp, WA 98856 81%2,112$70,089$484,600$320 cheaper homes ($68K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Manhattan, MT 59741 80%1,671$90,947$615,200$382 pricier homes ($63K more)
Durham, CA 95938 80%2,181$82,974$611,700$368 pricier homes ($59K more) · older homes
Camden, ME 04843 79%868$82,344$520,600$375 cheaper homes ($32K less) · older residents · older homes
Waitsfield, VT 05673 79%726$98,068$448,000$362 cheaper homes ($104K less) · smaller
McCall, ID 83638 79%1,888$75,217$730,400$484 pricier homes ($178K more) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Philomath, OR 97370 79%2,245$88,091$463,200$279 cheaper homes ($89K less) · larger
Freeport, ME 04032 78%812$107,326$508,400$372 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Idaho Springs, CO 80452 78%1,322$75,565$449,300$344 cheaper homes ($103K less) · older homes
Jacksonville, OR 97530 78%2,231$89,239$617,400$313 pricier homes ($65K more) · larger
Saint Michaels, MD 21663 77%352$89,775$650,500$438 pricier homes ($98K more) · older residents
Williams Bay, WI 53191 77%576$75,833$414,600$282 cheaper homes ($138K less)
Missoula, MT 59804 77%1,820$76,266$588,400$351 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger · more walkable
Granby, CO 80446 77%1,341$74,973$642,600$439 pricier homes ($90K more) · 8 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Buena Vista, CO 81211 77%1,349$88,083$677,400$409 pricier homes ($125K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Trinidad, CA 95570 77%2,294$74,777$635,400$447 pricier homes ($83K more) · 8 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Damariscotta, ME 04543 76%843$59,423$363,500$431 cheaper homes ($189K less) · smaller · older residents
Georgetown, CO 80444 76%1,327$79,118$521,700$348 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · older 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.