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 El Prado, NM 87529

El Prado: median income $61,618, home value $487,300, $336/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Port Saint Joe, FL 32456 89%1,256$64,681$378,500$285 cheaper homes ($109K less) · larger
Yachats, OR 97498 88%1,113$67,188$511,500$405 smaller · older homes
Flat Rock, NC 28731 87%1,297$66,309$402,300$253 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger · younger residents
Murphys, CA 95247 86%825$76,333$537,400$306 pricier homes ($50K more)
Cornville, AZ 86325 85%375$74,679$442,800$272 cheaper homes ($45K less) · younger residents
Joseph, OR 97846 85%864$71,471$383,200$341 cheaper homes ($104K less) · smaller
New Buffalo, MI 49117 84%1,073$75,114$488,000$351 older homes
Wickenburg, AZ 85390 84%447$68,591$499,200$269 larger
Chincoteague Island, VA 23336 83%1,659$63,464$346,700$288 cheaper homes ($141K less)
Paradise, CA 95969 83%900$69,067$455,500$287 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Mancos, CO 81328 82%163$72,522$412,700$293 cheaper homes ($75K less) · 8 min longer commute
Lyle, WA 98635 82%1,036$61,448$491,900$270 smaller · younger residents
Black Mountain, NC 28711 81%1,299$74,761$370,200$307 cheaper homes ($117K less) · larger · younger residents
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 81%1,129$73,784$432,200$406 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller
Philipsburg, MT 59858 81%791$56,719$380,000$316 cheaper homes ($107K less) · smaller · older homes
Prescott, AZ 86303 81%405$72,359$563,000$321 pricier homes ($76K more) · larger
Oriental, NC 28571 80%1,616$63,393$372,500$257 cheaper homes ($115K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Frankfort, MI 49635 80%1,159$72,422$366,700$263 cheaper homes ($121K less) · older homes
Minocqua, WI 54548 80%1,047$69,569$336,400$288 cheaper homes ($151K less)
Red Lodge, MT 59068 80%635$80,962$438,700$366 cheaper homes ($49K less) · older homes
Sunrise Beach, MO 65079 80%712$70,024$394,800$302 cheaper homes ($93K less) · more homeowners
Clarkdale, AZ 86324 80%382$46,813$374,400$280 cheaper homes ($113K less)
Sedona, AZ 86336 80%364$68,435$774,800$468 pricier homes ($288K more) · larger
Walker, MN 56484 79%927$67,019$311,200$272 cheaper homes ($176K less)
Johnson City, TX 78636 79%594$72,663$532,600$263 pricier homes ($45K more) · younger 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.