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 Arroyo Seco, NM 87514

Arroyo Seco: median income $71,556, home value $545,200, $432/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Yachats, OR 97498 95%1,111$67,188$511,500$405 cheaper homes ($34K less)
New Buffalo, MI 49117 92%1,068$75,114$488,000$351 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger
Edisto Island, SC 29438 88%1,457$86,979$642,400$452 pricier homes ($97K more) · larger
Red Lodge, MT 59068 88%630$80,962$438,700$366 cheaper homes ($107K less) · larger
Freedom, NH 03836 87%1,874$66,136$389,000$344 cheaper homes ($156K less)
Maple City, MI 49664 87%1,175$77,500$475,900$410 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Saint Michaels, MD 21663 86%1,604$89,775$650,500$438 pricier homes ($105K more) · larger
Nags Head, NC 27959 86%1,663$91,264$490,800$424 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger
White Stone, VA 22578 85%1,603$80,783$441,600$252 cheaper homes ($104K less)
Hebron, NH 03241 84%1,835$91,375$470,700$371 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 84%1,123$73,784$432,200$406 cheaper homes ($113K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Murphys, CA 95247 84%826$76,333$537,400$306 larger
Kewadin, MI 49648 83%1,203$93,272$633,500$414 pricier homes ($88K more) · larger
Philipsburg, MT 59858 82%787$56,719$380,000$316 cheaper homes ($165K less)
Harrison, ID 83833 82%950$81,568$562,100$652 6 min longer commute
Joseph, OR 97846 82%861$71,471$383,200$341 cheaper homes ($162K less) · 7 min shorter commute
La Conner, WA 98257 82%1,189$94,425$506,200$300 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
Vinalhaven, ME 04863 81%1,985$72,963$428,400$319 cheaper homes ($117K less) · 5 min shorter commute · older homes
Elk Rapids, MI 49629 81%1,198$65,302$394,600$333 cheaper homes ($151K less) · 6 min shorter commute · older homes
Frankfort, MI 49635 81%1,154$72,422$366,700$263 cheaper homes ($179K less) · larger
Lake Leelanau, MI 49653 81%1,185$85,787$669,800$386 pricier homes ($125K more) · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
South Fork, CO 81154 81%99$77,177$511,300$339 cheaper homes ($34K less) · younger residents
Mendocino, CA 95460 81%1,011$73,576$708,200$654 pricier homes ($163K more) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Meredith, NH 03253 80%1,851$84,719$482,700$354 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 80%1,866$94,349$548,600$347 larger

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.