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 Alma, CO 80420

Alma: median income $86,705, home value $616,000, $481/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Trinidad, CA 95570 76%961$74,777$635,400$447 larger · younger residents
Sharon, CT 06069 68%1,710$101,067$611,200$524 larger · more homeowners · more apartments and townhomes
Three Rivers, CA 93271 68%726$85,922$493,900$382 cheaper homes ($122K less) · larger · 13 min shorter commute
Pocasset, MA 02559 67%1,857$90,855$625,400$413 larger · more homeowners
Harpswell, ME 04079 67%1,876$91,969$612,400$500 larger · older residents · more homeowners
New Preston Marble Dale, CT 06777 67%1,719$94,643$455,700$390 cheaper homes ($160K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Woodstock, NY 12498 67%1,676$94,210$627,700$470 larger · older residents · more homeowners
Indianola, WA 98342 67%1,008$102,778$698,500$414 pricier homes ($83K more) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
West Stockbridge, MA 01266 66%1,711$100,417$563,400$359 cheaper homes ($53K less) · more homeowners
Sunapee, NH 03782 66%1,772$110,175$412,000$363 cheaper homes ($204K less) · larger · more homeowners
Saint Michaels, MD 21663 66%1,595$89,775$650,500$438 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Kewadin, MI 49648 66%1,128$93,272$633,500$414 larger · more homeowners
Fontana, WI 53125 65%939$112,500$593,800$434 higher income ($26K more) · larger · more homeowners
Harwich Port, MA 02646 64%1,885$81,172$896,000$850 pricier homes ($280K more) · more homeowners · older homes
Kent, CT 06757 64%1,711$95,186$406,100$436 cheaper homes ($210K less) · larger · 10 min shorter commute
Roxbury, CT 06783 64%1,720$123,864$714,500$345 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($99K more) · larger
Washington, CT 06793 64%1,720$121,250$1,026,800$523 higher income ($35K more) · pricier homes ($411K more) · more homeowners
Red Lodge, MT 59068 64%440$80,962$438,700$366 cheaper homes ($177K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Freeland, WA 98249 64%1,019$99,519$627,400$404 larger · more homeowners · newer homes
East Quogue, NY 11942 63%1,763$93,710$844,100$675 pricier homes ($228K more) · larger · more homeowners
Oxford, MD 21654 63%1,600$82,772$840,000$465 pricier homes ($224K more) · older residents · more homeowners
Arroyo Seco, NM 87514 63%193$71,556$545,200$432 cheaper homes ($71K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Mendocino, CA 95460 63%945$73,576$708,200$654 pricier homes ($92K more) · larger · older residents
Leverett, MA 01054 62%1,756$104,688$435,500$316 cheaper homes ($181K less) · more homeowners · less walkable
Camden, ME 04843 62%1,920$82,344$520,600$375 cheaper homes ($95K less) · larger · 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.