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 Dolores, CO 81323

Dolores: median income $75,393, home value $392,000, $291/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cascade, ID 83611 93%623$77,411$429,400$335 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller
Blue Hill, ME 04614 92%2,114$80,377$399,500$276 smaller
Oakhurst, CA 93644 92%613$81,196$396,300$250 Very close on everything we compare
Saxonburg, PA 16056 91%1,545$75,893$302,000$239 cheaper homes ($90K less)
Tiger, GA 30576 91%1,405$81,417$324,900$245 cheaper homes ($67K less) · smaller
Garretson, SD 57030 91%760$79,375$327,400$214 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller
Friendsville, TN 37737 90%1,353$81,706$320,500$266 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Deerwood, MN 56444 90%970$77,500$365,200$238 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Llano, TX 78643 90%731$68,365$362,600$239 cheaper homes ($29K less) · older residents
Aurora, OR 97002 90%914$70,137$530,100$339 pricier homes ($138K more)
Wiscasset, ME 04578 89%2,060$81,063$327,400$234 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 89%1,439$71,383$341,400$248 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Ellijay, GA 30536 89%1,357$80,000$338,500$240 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger
Boyne City, MI 49712 89%1,323$74,033$294,800$318 cheaper homes ($97K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
East Helena, MT 59635 89%655$83,740$395,600$277 larger · younger residents
Sublimity, OR 97385 89%901$84,796$494,600$308 pricier homes ($103K more) · more walkable
Bristol, NH 03222 88%1,958$81,587$313,000$348 cheaper homes ($79K less) · 6 min longer commute
Monmouth, ME 04259 88%2,043$83,919$298,300$208 cheaper homes ($94K less)
Millerton, NY 12546 88%1,870$84,455$313,300$313 cheaper homes ($79K less) · smaller
Milton, NY 12547 88%1,848$88,778$377,200$255 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Waynesville, NC 28785 88%1,418$61,769$310,300$252 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger
Piney Flats, TN 37686 88%1,440$84,264$352,200$211 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger
Pequot Lakes, MN 56472 88%963$81,328$342,500$254 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger
Pelican Rapids, MN 56572 88%894$79,475$298,800$226 cheaper homes ($93K less)
Johnson City, TX 78636 88%762$72,663$532,600$263 pricier homes ($141K more) · older 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.