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.

Reset

Towns most like Paonia, CO 81428

Paonia: median income $75,799, home value $432,700, $279/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Chattanooga, TN 37419 94%1,252$74,787$351,800$245 cheaper homes ($81K less) · larger
Deerwood, MN 56444 92%870$77,500$365,200$238 cheaper homes ($68K less) · 5 min longer commute
Cascade, ID 83611 92%577$77,411$429,400$335 Very close on everything we compare
Blue Hill, ME 04614 91%2,031$80,377$399,500$276 cheaper homes ($33K less) · newer homes
Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 91%1,392$71,383$341,400$248 cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger
Bernardston, MA 01337 89%1,838$85,045$338,800$233 cheaper homes ($94K less)
Newcastle, ME 04553 89%1,985$89,868$398,000$321 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller
Lincolnville, ME 04849 89%2,007$80,377$360,600$329 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Sheffield, MA 01257 88%1,801$102,788$441,000$299 higher income ($27K more) · smaller
Wiscasset, ME 04578 88%1,978$81,063$327,400$234 cheaper homes ($105K less) · 6 min longer commute
Oley, PA 19547 88%1,688$89,948$357,900$213 cheaper homes ($75K less) · 5 min longer commute
Oakhurst, CA 93644 88%663$81,196$396,300$250 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger
Sedgwick, ME 04676 87%2,028$73,333$336,500$235 cheaper homes ($96K less) · smaller
Putney, VT 05346 87%1,840$79,118$320,800$202 cheaper homes ($112K less)
New Haven, VT 05472 87%1,804$92,537$378,000$217 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller
Craryville, NY 12521 87%1,785$75,652$338,700$290 cheaper homes ($94K less) · smaller
Boyne City, MI 49712 87%1,234$74,033$294,800$318 cheaper homes ($138K less) · larger
Saint Regis, MT 59866 87%698$73,462$343,700$304 cheaper homes ($89K less) · smaller
Idyllwild, CA 92549 87%619$73,750$532,300$340 pricier homes ($100K more)
Cascade Locks, OR 97014 87%866$75,000$387,700$246 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
Boothbay, ME 04537 86%1,981$76,667$358,600$296 cheaper homes ($74K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Cushing, ME 04563 86%1,998$83,500$409,800$376 smaller · newer homes
Tiger, GA 30576 86%1,361$81,417$324,900$245 cheaper homes ($108K less) · newer homes
New Buffalo, MI 49117 86%1,114$75,114$488,000$351 pricier homes ($55K more) · older residents
Llano, TX 78643 86%759$68,365$362,600$239 cheaper homes ($70K 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.