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 Hesperus, CO 81326

Hesperus: median income $80,089, home value $558,600, $413/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Parks, AZ 86018 92%251$77,279$628,400— pricier homes ($70K more) · smaller
Semora, NC 27343 90%1,600$79,931$518,800$465 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller
Kewadin, MI 49648 88%1,298$93,272$633,500$414 pricier homes ($75K more) · older residents
Thayne, WY 83127 87%427$87,743$482,700$325 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Afton, VA 22920 86%1,598$88,028$410,000$311 cheaper homes ($149K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Suttons Bay, MI 49682 86%1,283$97,813$396,500$369 cheaper homes ($162K less) · larger
Bend, OR 97707 86%842$85,272$647,600$432 pricier homes ($89K more) · larger
Ennis, MT 59729 85%595$83,365$480,300$408 cheaper homes ($78K less) · younger residents
Bonner, MT 59823 85%732$82,813$474,100$349 cheaper homes ($85K less) · younger residents
Saluda, NC 28773 84%1,440$70,703$413,700$319 cheaper homes ($145K less)
Hunt, TX 78024 84%701$105,381$500,000$288 higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller
Deming, WA 98244 84%1,067$67,159$447,000$394 cheaper homes ($112K less)
Freeland, WA 98249 84%1,047$99,519$627,400$404 pricier homes ($69K more) · larger · older residents
Merrifield, MN 56465 83%966$74,400$372,100$337 cheaper homes ($187K less)
Harrison, ID 83833 83%838$81,568$562,100$652 smaller · older residents
Potter Valley, CA 95469 83%824$82,683$529,200$326 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
Loon Lake, WA 99148 83%894$67,431$429,900$336 cheaper homes ($129K less)
Georgetown, ME 04548 82%2,049$84,250$427,200$321 cheaper homes ($131K less) · smaller · older homes
North Garden, VA 22959 82%1,609$95,461$548,800$414 9 min shorter commute
Union Hall, VA 24176 82%1,561$98,250$627,000$332 pricier homes ($68K more) · smaller · older residents
Florence, MT 59833 82%722$94,097$551,600$333 larger · 7 min longer commute
Garden Valley, ID 83622 82%626$65,625$576,800$332 older residents
Somerset, CA 95684 82%687$87,175$621,700$256 pricier homes ($63K more)
Hawi, HI 96719 82%3,082$79,471$612,100— pricier homes ($54K more) · younger residents
Volcano, HI 96785 82%3,075$68,463$369,000$329 cheaper homes ($190K less) · larger

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.