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 Buena Vista, CO 81211

Buena Vista: median income $88,083, home value $677,400, $409/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Manhattan, MT 59741 89%548$90,947$615,200$382 cheaper homes ($62K less) · younger residents
Ivins, UT 84738 89%427$77,993$592,900$344 cheaper homes ($85K less)
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 88%1,676$86,193$437,500$368 cheaper homes ($240K less)
Jacksonville, OR 97530 88%914$89,239$617,400$313 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Anacortes, WA 98221 87%1,056$96,528$713,100$419 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger
Kennebunkport, ME 04046 86%1,869$102,529$586,100$434 cheaper homes ($91K less) · 7 min longer commute
Mount Hood Parkdale, OR 97041 86%913$82,679$705,600$416 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller · older homes
Sisters, OR 97759 86%878$102,734$777,700$425 pricier homes ($100K more) · older residents
White Salmon, WA 98672 86%916$97,622$669,200$415 6 min longer commute
Manson, WA 98831 86%939$82,650$659,500$341 smaller · younger residents
McCall, ID 83638 85%660$75,217$730,400$484 pricier homes ($53K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Hayden, ID 83835 85%815$91,316$562,000$337 cheaper homes ($115K less) · larger
Sublimity, OR 97385 85%950$84,796$494,600$308 cheaper homes ($183K less) · smaller
Eliot, ME 03903 84%1,854$101,522$498,900$363 cheaper homes ($179K less) · older homes
Verdi, NV 89439 84%742$101,250$762,500$359 pricier homes ($85K more) · smaller
Mount Vernon, WA 98274 84%1,033$96,177$547,700$360 cheaper homes ($130K less) · larger · younger residents
Lakeside, MT 59922 83%752$87,237$657,500$298 smaller
Sagle, ID 83860 83%829$71,563$597,500$482 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Sandpoint, ID 83864 83%834$70,496$516,500$381 cheaper homes ($161K less) · larger
Whitefish, MT 59937 82%777$75,428$698,200$567 larger
Carson City, NV 89703 82%732$85,230$626,500$330 cheaper homes ($51K less) · more walkable · older homes
Carson City, NV 89705 82%733$79,901$470,200$351 cheaper homes ($207K less) · smaller · older residents
Blaine, WA 98230 82%1,078$86,623$499,800$316 cheaper homes ($178K less) · larger
Friday Harbor, WA 98250 82%1,076$88,556$801,200$492 pricier homes ($124K more) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 81%1,832$94,349$548,600$347 cheaper homes ($129K less) · older residents · older homes

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.