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 Fruita, CO 81521

Fruita: median income $88,458, home value $422,900, $294/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hayden, ID 83835 94%719$91,316$562,000$337 pricier homes ($139K more)
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210 93%1,808$90,013$370,500$283 cheaper homes ($52K less) · older homes
Helena, MT 59602 93%546$92,985$408,600$270 larger
Blaine, WA 98230 93%968$86,623$499,800$316 pricier homes ($77K more)
Soldotna, AK 99669 93%2,331$80,980$320,200$269 cheaper homes ($103K less)
Fletcher, NC 28732 92%1,459$81,852$376,700$233 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Traverse City, MI 49685 92%1,246$84,590$358,500$261 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Rathdrum, ID 83858 92%724$95,380$507,600$341 pricier homes ($85K more)
Hurricane, UT 84737 92%288$75,545$460,400$275 pricier homes ($38K more)
Pequot Lakes, MN 56472 91%893$81,328$342,500$254 cheaper homes ($80K less) · smaller
Mount Vernon, WA 98274 91%921$96,177$547,700$360 pricier homes ($125K more)
Homer, AK 99603 90%2,313$78,767$373,500$310 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Manteo, NC 27954 89%1,815$80,587$418,400$374 smaller
Adel, IA 50003 89%790$103,114$395,400$256 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
East Helena, MT 59635 89%538$83,740$395,600$277 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Indio, CA 92203 89%561$97,311$553,700$263 pricier homes ($131K more) · larger
Creswell, OR 97426 89%808$90,125$488,000$284 pricier homes ($65K more) · smaller · older homes
Greenacres, WA 99016 89%723$103,472$477,400$263 pricier homes ($55K more)
Medical Lake, WA 99022 89%737$93,812$389,700$245 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller
Norwalk, IA 50211 88%808$103,712$316,100$231 cheaper homes ($107K less)
Tucson, AZ 85742 88%485$98,844$368,300$228 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger
Gansevoort, NY 12831 87%1,829$100,024$343,100$264 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Swansboro, NC 28584 87%1,762$87,414$339,200$221 cheaper homes ($84K less) · 6 min longer commute
Beaufort, SC 29907 87%1,632$97,446$428,000$259 7 min longer commute
Vero Beach, FL 32968 87%1,807$94,113$411,200$221 older residents

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.