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 Asheville, NC 28805

Asheville: median income $75,151, home value $412,500, $281/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Traverse City, MI 49686 92%654$71,609$344,700$289 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Louisville, KY 40243 90%248$77,587$323,200$196 cheaper homes ($89K less) · smaller
Traverse City, MI 49684 90%650$80,788$420,200$332 Very close on everything we compare
Boise, ID 83703 90%1,866$76,910$508,000$353 pricier homes ($96K more) · more walkable
Metairie, LA 70005 89%588$89,194$430,200$249 older homes
Tucson, AZ 85745 89%1,646$71,348$342,700$244 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger
Petoskey, MI 49770 88%686$79,590$355,200$275 cheaper homes ($57K less) · less walkable
Tucson, AZ 85704 88%1,642$81,696$423,900$232 larger
Tucson, AZ 85715 88%1,635$85,069$370,000$219 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Brunswick, ME 04011 87%876$74,952$376,300$301 cheaper homes ($36K less) · younger residents
Ashland, OR 97520 87%2,188$67,948$580,400$315 pricier homes ($168K more)
Montpelier, VT 05602 86%795$81,320$360,000$259 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller · older homes
Helena, MT 59601 86%1,702$72,290$386,500$256 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Missoula, MT 59804 86%1,804$76,266$588,400$351 pricier homes ($176K more) · smaller
Colorado Springs, CO 80904 86%1,248$69,814$440,000$264 pricier homes ($28K more) · older homes
Colorado Springs, CO 80906 86%1,245$89,984$574,100$224 pricier homes ($162K more) · larger · younger residents
Albuquerque, NM 87111 86%1,351$90,290$379,500$235 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Olympia, WA 98506 86%2,211$91,596$490,900$298 pricier homes ($78K more) · 5 min longer commute
White River Junction, VT 05001 85%774$78,092$296,900$271 cheaper homes ($116K less) · smaller · younger residents
Essex Junction, VT 05452 85%790$101,349$432,400$265 higher income ($26K more)
Tallahassee, FL 32308 85%368$77,967$328,000$217 cheaper homes ($85K less) · more renters
Nashville, TN 37214 85%237$72,012$340,900$243 cheaper homes ($72K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Flagstaff, AZ 86004 85%1,632$81,172$509,900$381 pricier homes ($97K more) · larger · younger residents
Albuquerque, NM 87104 85%1,360$75,436$362,500$273 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller · younger residents
Talent, OR 97540 85%2,193$65,762$453,900$286 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller

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.