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 Highlands, NC 28741

Highlands: median income $70,392, home value $631,000, $625/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lopez Island, WA 98261 89%2,212$80,119$787,800$760 pricier homes ($157K more)
Eastham, MA 02642 87%854$72,992$732,200$546 pricier homes ($101K more) · more homeowners
Sedona, AZ 86351 82%1,613$81,203$738,000$432 pricier homes ($107K more) · larger · older residents
Sedona, AZ 86336 81%1,611$68,435$774,800$468 pricier homes ($144K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
South Dennis, MA 02660 80%841$93,386$559,600$549 cheaper homes ($71K less) · 7 min longer commute
Arroyo Seco, NM 87514 80%1,252$71,556$545,200$432 cheaper homes ($86K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Eastsound, WA 98245 79%2,216$95,811$772,600$590 higher income ($25K more) · pricier homes ($142K more) · younger residents
Friday Harbor, WA 98250 79%2,223$88,556$801,200$492 pricier homes ($170K more) · larger · younger residents
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 78%721$73,784$432,200$406 cheaper homes ($199K less) · smaller · younger residents
Chatham, MA 02633 77%849$85,483$946,100$690 pricier homes ($315K more) · 6 min longer commute
Saint Michaels, MD 21663 77%464$89,775$650,500$438 younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Port Townsend, WA 98368 77%2,204$69,688$554,300$385 cheaper homes ($77K less) · larger · more walkable
Winthrop, WA 98862 77%2,091$71,080$720,200$447 pricier homes ($89K more) · younger residents
El Prado, NM 87529 76%1,254$61,618$487,300$336 cheaper homes ($144K less)
Cambria, CA 93428 76%2,122$99,762$932,500$691 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($302K more) · larger
New Buffalo, MI 49117 75%502$75,114$488,000$351 cheaper homes ($143K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Yachats, OR 97498 75%2,239$67,188$511,500$405 cheaper homes ($120K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Red Lodge, MT 59068 74%1,534$80,962$438,700$366 cheaper homes ($192K less) · 7 min longer commute
Brewster, MA 02631 73%847$102,132$700,500$488 higher income ($32K more) · pricier homes ($70K more) · larger
Edisto Island, SC 29438 73%241$86,979$642,400$452 smaller · 9 min longer commute · more homeowners
Estes Park, CO 80517 73%1,269$95,404$701,700$415 higher income ($25K more) · pricier homes ($71K more) · larger
Mendocino, CA 95460 73%2,233$73,576$708,200$654 pricier homes ($77K more) · smaller · 13 min longer commute
Lake Leelanau, MI 49653 72%698$85,787$669,800$386 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Grand Marais, MN 55604 72%951$73,427$352,500$369 cheaper homes ($279K less) · younger residents
Murphys, CA 95247 72%2,062$76,333$537,400$306 cheaper homes ($94K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute

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.