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 Cedar Crest, NM 87008

Cedar Crest: median income $85,673, home value $376,700, $239/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Magnolia Springs, AL 36555 90%1,126$86,705$435,200$241 pricier homes ($59K more) · smaller
Becket, MA 01223 89%1,847$86,818$363,600$258 Very close on everything we compare
Wayne, ME 04284 89%2,012$93,194$362,800$269 smaller
Readfield, ME 04355 89%2,018$86,504$326,400$223 cheaper homes ($50K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Roland, AR 72135 89%783$102,500$319,200$221 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Hartfield, VA 23071 88%1,665$86,500$456,500$247 pricier homes ($80K more) · younger residents
Hancock, NH 03449 87%1,908$92,708$432,200$234 pricier homes ($56K more) · older homes
Harrisburg, MO 65256 87%814$92,061$302,500$183 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Francestown, NH 03043 86%1,917$104,063$408,200$252 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Moretown, VT 05660 86%1,880$96,125$425,200$274 pricier homes ($49K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Raymond, ME 04071 85%1,990$88,722$414,400$365 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger
Athens, NY 12015 85%1,811$91,845$306,300$226 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger
Accord, NY 12404 85%1,787$77,214$415,700$282 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger · older homes
Black Hawk, CO 80422 85%328$95,625$588,800$342 pricier homes ($212K more) · larger
Cedar, MI 49621 84%1,273$95,446$396,600$278 8 min shorter commute
Surry, ME 04684 83%2,090$74,508$296,300$251 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Boyce, VA 22620 83%1,579$99,896$539,300$224 pricier homes ($163K more)
Todd, NC 28684 83%1,388$69,307$325,300$309 cheaper homes ($51K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Lake Park, MN 56554 83%968$94,792$376,400$307 Very close on everything we compare
Twain Harte, CA 95383 83%794$86,970$461,100$265 pricier homes ($84K more) · larger · older homes
Oakham, MA 01068 82%1,901$102,000$420,100$265 pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller
Wilmot, NH 03287 82%1,914$117,759$399,600$300 higher income ($32K more) · smaller
Lovell, ME 04051 82%1,968$80,625$295,000$233 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller
Diamond Point, NY 12824 82%1,826$108,533$425,900$266 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller · older homes
Weems, VA 22576 82%1,667$104,948$414,000$264 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller · 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.