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 81506

Grand Junction: median income $78,651, home value $448,300, $263/sq ft, 15-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Traverse City, MI 49684 91%1,233$80,788$420,200$332 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Morehead City, NC 28557 89%1,773$68,528$362,800$249 cheaper homes ($86K less) · 6 min longer commute
Cody, WY 82414 87%375$77,958$435,300$252 more single-family homes
Traverse City, MI 49686 86%1,237$71,609$344,700$289 cheaper homes ($104K less) · larger
Petoskey, MI 49770 86%1,278$79,590$355,200$275 cheaper homes ($93K less) · larger · younger residents
Prescott, AZ 86301 86%378$72,652$515,400$313 pricier homes ($67K more) · larger
Bishop, CA 93514 85%545$81,278$422,600$349 cheaper homes ($26K less) · younger residents
Lake Placid, NY 12946 84%1,805$77,548$467,000$363 smaller · younger residents
Seabrook, NH 03874 82%1,966$82,995$446,100$351 6 min longer commute
Brevard, NC 28712 82%1,441$63,045$414,300$299 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Asheville, NC 28805 82%1,446$75,151$412,500$281 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · younger residents
Panama City Beach, FL 32413 82%1,417$80,039$441,300$334 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Fredericksburg, TX 78624 82%819$75,237$463,300$284 larger · 6 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Chelan, WA 98816 82%833$82,577$499,200$421 pricier homes ($51K more)
Manchester Center, VT 05255 81%1,855$91,058$445,500$270 smaller
Sarasota, FL 34243 81%1,698$81,219$429,400$238 larger · 9 min longer commute
Gulf Shores, AL 36542 81%1,325$79,639$383,500$317 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Louisville, KY 40243 81%1,240$77,587$323,200$196 cheaper homes ($125K less)
Spearfish, SD 57783 81%444$74,844$373,300$233 cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger · younger residents
Mount Shasta, CA 96067 81%742$65,000$415,400$247 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Easton, MD 21601 80%1,736$83,680$376,400$232 cheaper homes ($72K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Missoula, MT 59804 80%605$76,266$588,400$351 pricier homes ($140K more) · younger residents · more walkable
Warrenton, OR 97146 80%918$82,936$463,800$313 younger residents
Phoenix, OR 97535 80%778$66,052$418,400$264 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 79%1,154$70,212$297,300$257 cheaper homes ($151K less) · larger · more single-family 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.