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 Walden, CO 80480

Walden: median income $49,167, home value $230,700, $372/sq ft, 12-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Saint Germain, WI 54558 83%915$59,718$261,000$345 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Bayfield, WI 54814 83%877$63,682$250,000$268 larger
Apalachicola, FL 32320 80%1,415$46,713$241,500$279 larger · 6 min longer commute
Lincoln, MT 59639 80%536$57,778$371,700$418 pricier homes ($141K more) · 5 min longer commute
Loyalton, CA 96118 80%739$54,167$243,800$229 6 min longer commute
Schroon Lake, NY 12870 79%1,665$72,628$268,700$382 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger
Greenville, ME 04441 78%1,864$64,789$291,900$361 pricier homes ($61K more) · larger · older residents
Milbridge, ME 04658 78%1,951$60,536$240,400$262 7 min longer commute
Elizabethtown, NY 12932 77%1,672$56,771$183,900$255 cheaper homes ($47K less) · older homes
Monterey, VA 24465 77%1,425$61,379$202,500$357 cheaper homes ($28K less) · 10 min longer commute
Scobey, MT 59263 77%560$53,875$190,600— cheaper homes ($40K less) · older homes
Burwell, NE 68823 77%380$61,974$174,100— cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger · younger residents
Fort Davis, TX 79734 77%710$65,227$241,300— larger · 5 min longer commute · newer homes
Philip, SD 57567 75%329$59,410$191,500— cheaper homes ($39K less)
Chincoteague Island, VA 23336 74%1,655$63,464$346,700$288 pricier homes ($116K more) · larger
Ely, MN 55731 74%867$62,008$206,000$274 larger · older residents
Thompson Falls, MT 59873 74%654$60,000$305,900$277 pricier homes ($75K more) · larger · older residents
Center Conway, NH 03813 73%1,799$56,951$252,200$330 larger · 10 min longer commute
Etna, CA 96027 73%872$64,308$312,700$236 pricier homes ($82K more) · larger · younger residents
Deer Isle, ME 04627 72%1,916$61,703$299,500$278 pricier homes ($69K more) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Benzonia, MI 49616 72%1,057$57,982$221,600$259 larger · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Minong, WI 54859 72%813$55,882$225,300$336 larger · 11 min longer commute
Saint Regis, MT 59866 72%636$73,462$343,700$304 pricier homes ($113K more) · younger residents
Willow Creek, CA 95573 72%906$47,258$388,100$223 pricier homes ($157K more) · older residents · more renters
Rockaway Beach, OR 97136 72%950$66,106$375,000$372 pricier homes ($144K more) · larger · 6 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.