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 Traverse City, MI 49686

Traverse City: median income $71,609, home value $344,700, $289/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Asheville, NC 28805 92%654$75,151$412,500$281 pricier homes ($68K more)
Queensbury, NY 12804 91%601$89,127$311,400$248 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Morehead City, NC 28557 91%837$68,528$362,800$249 smaller
Easton, MD 21601 90%642$83,680$376,400$232 pricier homes ($32K more)
Lake Geneva, WI 53147 89%206$83,566$369,100$287 6 min longer commute
Canandaigua, NY 14424 88%435$79,778$269,500$233 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Rapid City, SD 57702 88%876$91,457$389,700$218 pricier homes ($45K more)
Tucson, AZ 85745 88%1,613$71,348$342,700$244 younger residents
Bishop, CA 93514 87%1,765$81,278$422,600$349 pricier homes ($78K more) · smaller
Port Angeles, WA 98362 87%1,797$70,123$403,300$298 pricier homes ($59K more)
Agawam, MA 01001 86%678$75,342$295,700$249 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller · older homes
Brunswick, ME 04011 86%774$74,952$376,300$301 pricier homes ($32K more) · younger residents
Morrisville, VT 05661 86%639$67,052$304,700$264 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller
Brevard, NC 28712 86%677$63,045$414,300$299 pricier homes ($70K more) · older residents
Weaverville, NC 28787 86%646$78,604$401,700$266 pricier homes ($57K more)
Hendersonville, NC 28791 86%671$78,827$370,700$236 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller
Pensacola, FL 32507 86%998$73,540$318,200$242 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Sarasota, FL 34243 86%1,211$81,219$429,400$238 pricier homes ($85K more) · 5 min longer commute
Fredericksburg, TX 78624 86%1,233$75,237$463,300$284 pricier homes ($119K more)
Montrose, CO 81401 86%1,224$71,286$374,300$280 pricier homes ($30K more)
Grand Junction, CO 81506 86%1,237$78,651$448,300$263 pricier homes ($104K more) · smaller
Cody, WY 82414 86%1,149$77,958$435,300$252 pricier homes ($91K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Tucson, AZ 85715 86%1,603$85,069$370,000$219 pricier homes ($25K more) · more walkable
Saco, ME 04072 85%756$92,241$413,100$329 pricier homes ($68K more) · 5 min longer commute
Lexington, VA 24450 85%578$76,587$305,100$225 cheaper homes ($40K less) · 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.