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.

Reset

Towns most like Ranchos De Taos, NM 87557

Ranchos De Taos: median income $49,337, home value $356,400, $350/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Gatlinburg, TN 37738 88%1,234$57,330$334,100$361 more renters
Deep Gap, NC 28618 86%1,339$59,653$338,400$281 smaller
Vilas, NC 28692 85%1,324$43,103$324,900$257 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Delta, CO 81416 84%213$50,243$319,400$262 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger
Ranchester, WY 82839 84%599$57,708$385,900$324 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller · newer homes
Dexter, OR 97431 84%1,047$60,714$354,800$342 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Accident, MD 21520 83%1,445$59,852$298,600$236 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller
Ronan, MT 59864 82%888$61,978$297,700$274 cheaper homes ($59K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Saint Ignatius, MT 59865 82%875$56,473$345,300$394 9 min longer commute
Flora, MS 39071 81%908$54,700$311,500$215 cheaper homes ($45K less) · 5 min longer commute
Parowan, UT 84761 81%411$51,538$355,000$208 smaller
Arlee, MT 59821 80%866$66,458$375,200$312 smaller · 7 min longer commute
Honey Grove, TX 75446 80%580$52,460$238,800$240 cheaper homes ($118K less)
Preston, ID 83263 80%520$62,500$379,600$252 larger
Monteagle, TN 37356 79%1,110$59,026$298,300$264 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller · newer homes
Lac Du Flambeau, WI 54538 79%1,051$51,429$320,300$398 cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Sturgis, SD 57785 79%567$63,897$296,100$221 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger
Weiser, ID 83672 79%809$51,045$272,800$225 cheaper homes ($84K less) · larger
Selma, OR 97538 79%1,041$44,099$312,200$303 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Bunn, NC 27508 78%1,522$50,368$258,600— cheaper homes ($98K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Clyde, NC 28721 78%1,267$62,279$281,800$232 cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger · older residents
Nashville, TN 37218 78%1,044$61,919$349,900$261 larger · more renters
Ignacio, CO 81137 78%125$63,860$335,300$372 older residents
Powell, WY 82435 78%605$67,534$362,700$233 larger
West Wareham, MA 02576 77%1,893$63,021$387,200$345 pricier homes ($31K more) · 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.