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 81505

Grand Junction: median income $90,830, home value $467,800, $294/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Traverse City, MI 49685 89%1,242$84,590$358,500$261 cheaper homes ($109K less) · larger
Washington, UT 84780 89%299$91,963$570,800$279 pricier homes ($103K more) · larger
Appleton, WI 54913 88%1,098$105,385$393,400$212 cheaper homes ($74K less) · larger
Belgrade, MT 59714 88%479$96,183$548,600$316 pricier homes ($81K more) · larger · younger residents
Spokane, WA 99224 88%740$80,770$461,000$247 larger
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83815 87%723$77,864$498,300$313 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger
Olympia, WA 98512 87%906$101,530$472,100$316 larger · 6 min longer commute
Manteo, NC 27954 86%1,808$80,587$418,400$374 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller
Adel, IA 50003 86%785$103,114$395,400$256 cheaper homes ($72K less) · 6 min longer commute
Mc Farland, WI 53558 86%1,039$107,609$405,300$253 cheaper homes ($63K less) · older homes
Helena, MT 59602 86%552$92,985$408,600$270 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger · more homeowners
Homer, AK 99603 86%2,320$78,767$373,500$310 cheaper homes ($94K less)
Fletcher, NC 28732 85%1,452$81,852$376,700$233 cheaper homes ($91K less) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Petoskey, MI 49770 85%1,281$79,590$355,200$275 cheaper homes ($113K less) · older homes
Saint George, UT 84790 85%304$91,054$552,700$258 pricier homes ($85K more) · larger
Las Vegas, NV 89144 85%420$104,511$548,000$302 pricier homes ($80K more) · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Chico, CA 95973 85%709$92,813$489,900$313 larger
Greenacres, WA 99016 85%730$103,472$477,400$263 larger · 6 min longer commute
Gansevoort, NY 12831 84%1,824$100,024$343,100$264 cheaper homes ($125K less) · 7 min longer commute
North Sioux City, SD 57049 84%674$93,134$432,100$174 cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller
Columbia Falls, MT 59912 84%697$76,617$488,800$399 Very close on everything we compare
North Salt Lake, UT 84054 84%213$101,860$505,500$265 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger · younger residents
Moab, UT 84532 84%62$68,444$549,400$392 pricier homes ($82K more)
Santa Clara, UT 84765 84%308$96,475$558,100$247 pricier homes ($90K more) · smaller · younger residents
Philomath, OR 97370 84%848$88,091$463,200$279 5 min longer commute · 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.