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 Alpine, TX 79830

Alpine: median income $66,546, home value $229,400, $526/sq ft, 15-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Miles City, MT 59301 80%1,122$71,332$217,900— older homes
Charlevoix, MI 49720 76%1,438$77,603$297,500$435 pricier homes ($68K more) · older residents · more homeowners
Colby, KS 67701 76%647$70,250$177,300— cheaper homes ($52K less) · younger residents
Lake Placid, NY 12946 75%1,882$77,548$467,000$363 pricier homes ($238K more) · smaller
Malta, MT 59538 74%1,270$57,097$191,800— cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller · older homes
White River Junction, VT 05001 73%1,943$78,092$296,900$271 pricier homes ($68K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Gatlinburg, TN 37738 73%1,225$57,330$334,100$361 pricier homes ($105K more) · smaller
Traverse City, MI 49686 73%1,401$71,609$344,700$289 pricier homes ($115K more) · larger
Morrisville, VT 05661 72%1,952$67,052$304,700$264 pricier homes ($75K more) · 7 min longer commute
Petoskey, MI 49770 72%1,454$79,590$355,200$275 pricier homes ($126K more) · larger
Spirit Lake, IA 51360 72%1,023$75,882$271,700$253 pricier homes ($42K more)
Conway, NH 03818 71%2,008$77,134$324,800$241 pricier homes ($95K more) · smaller
Damariscotta, ME 04543 71%2,087$59,423$363,500$431 pricier homes ($134K more) · smaller · older residents
Castleton, VT 05735 71%1,904$80,313$211,100$460 smaller · younger residents · more homeowners
Ruidoso, NM 88345 71%243$53,971$263,700$228 pricier homes ($34K more)
Bishop, CA 93514 71%981$81,278$422,600$349 pricier homes ($193K more) · larger
Traverse City, MI 49684 70%1,396$80,788$420,200$332 pricier homes ($191K more) · larger · older residents
Boyne City, MI 49712 70%1,443$74,033$294,800$318 pricier homes ($65K more) · older residents · more homeowners
Hamilton, MT 59840 70%1,240$61,752$428,100$343 pricier homes ($199K more) · larger
Glasgow, MT 59230 69%1,249$85,000$241,000— smaller · older homes
Burwell, NE 68823 69%837$61,974$174,100— cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller
Kittery, ME 03904 68%2,010$85,084$448,900$448 pricier homes ($220K more) · older homes
Chinook, MT 59523 68%1,299$73,906$218,300— smaller · older homes
Ord, NE 68862 68%826$60,321$163,100— cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Moab, UT 84532 68%664$68,444$549,400$392 pricier homes ($320K more)

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.