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 Grand Junction, CO 81504

Grand Junction: median income $70,958, home value $316,500, $260/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Kenai, AK 99611 94%2,350$79,757$308,500$245 smaller
Ocala, FL 34480 93%1,652$77,557$282,700$184 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Swannanoa, NC 28778 92%1,447$73,408$303,300$256 smaller
Billings, MT 59105 92%475$78,014$349,300$196 pricier homes ($33K more)
Jerome, ID 83338 92%402$72,072$269,000$241 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Mountain Home, ID 83647 92%468$63,760$320,400$225 Very close on everything we compare
Brainerd, MN 56401 91%884$73,128$261,600$192 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Selah, WA 98942 91%803$84,646$382,300$239 pricier homes ($66K more) · smaller
Candler, NC 28715 90%1,433$71,716$309,000$258 older residents
Pocatello, ID 83202 90%338$70,423$334,200$180 Very close on everything we compare
Nampa, ID 83651 90%522$69,914$338,900$243 more walkable
Maryville, TN 37804 89%1,364$79,025$272,500$215 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Rapid City, SD 57703 89%440$83,739$277,100$222 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Blackfoot, ID 83221 89%348$75,172$281,300$176 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Soldotna, AK 99669 89%2,343$80,980$320,200$269 smaller · older residents
Pensacola, FL 32526 88%1,336$75,098$251,300$173 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Cookeville, TN 38506 88%1,274$70,279$288,100$193 cheaper homes ($28K less) · older residents
Millersburg, OH 44654 88%1,413$79,345$297,800$197 smaller
Rogers, AR 72756 88%807$72,230$269,200$212 cheaper homes ($47K less) · more renters
Vernal, UT 84078 88%110$75,113$309,000$176 Very close on everything we compare
Fallon, NV 89406 88%551$79,163$329,900$256 Very close on everything we compare
Kingsburg, CA 93631 88%629$79,228$396,800$276 pricier homes ($80K more) · smaller
Yakima, WA 98903 88%806$75,343$287,400$269 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · older homes
Richmond, VA 23237 87%1,680$79,606$277,100$196 cheaper homes ($39K less) · 6 min longer commute
Travelers Rest, SC 29690 87%1,460$69,956$287,000$227 cheaper homes ($30K less) · 8 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.