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 Los Alamos, NM 87544

Los Alamos: median income $138,583, home value $488,300, $290/sq ft, 12-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Minneapolis, MN 55436 79%920$144,129$643,400$292 pricier homes ($155K more) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Saint Louis, MO 63141 78%889$133,851$620,900$214 pricier homes ($133K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Rochester, MN 55902 76%920$120,611$454,800$213 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Henrico, VA 23233 74%1,598$125,665$479,000$248 larger · 9 min longer commute · newer homes
Brookfield, WI 53045 73%1,084$123,750$457,700$241 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger · older residents
Saint Paul, MN 55120 72%928$116,346$515,600$249 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Williamstown, MA 01267 71%1,818$106,375$429,800$306 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($59K less) · more single-family homes
Charlottesville, VA 22911 71%1,540$128,235$454,100$230 cheaper homes ($34K less) · 10 min longer commute · newer homes
Grand Rapids, MI 49546 71%1,205$99,343$417,900$213 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger
Minneapolis, MN 55447 71%920$133,555$471,000$229 larger · 9 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Lebanon, NH 03766 70%1,871$100,881$395,600$270 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($93K less) · more renters
Raleigh, NC 27613 70%1,538$123,966$520,600$249 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Dublin, OH 43017 70%1,290$135,922$523,500$226 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Novi, MI 48375 70%1,299$112,545$376,900$204 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($111K less) · larger
Hopkins, MN 55305 70%920$104,914$451,800$234 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger
Chapel Hill, NC 27517 69%1,521$128,683$608,100$284 pricier homes ($120K more) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Birmingham, AL 35243 69%1,120$99,645$538,400$233 lower income ($39K less) · pricier homes ($50K more) · 8 min longer commute
Ann Arbor, MI 48103 69%1,280$116,194$471,700$288 larger · 9 min longer commute · more walkable
Minneapolis, MN 55441 69%923$101,981$470,100$214 lower income ($37K less) · 8 min longer commute · more walkable
Essex Junction, VT 05452 68%1,835$101,349$432,400$265 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger
Kennett Square, PA 19348 68%1,682$123,526$543,100$231 pricier homes ($55K more) · larger · older residents
Cincinnati, OH 45249 68%1,221$105,804$495,000$214 lower income ($33K less) · 11 min longer commute · more walkable
Chanhassen, MN 55317 68%912$140,385$539,000$227 pricier homes ($51K more) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Minneapolis, MN 55438 68%917$106,432$414,600$199 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($74K less) · older residents
Farmington, CT 06032 67%1,833$140,912$445,400$268 cheaper homes ($43K less) · older residents · 12 min longer commute

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.