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 Santa Clara, NM 88026

Santa Clara: median income $57,898, home value $141,500, 13-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Montour Falls, NY 14865 87%1,825$53,846$146,600$34 larger · younger residents
Loup City, NE 68853 87%775$54,674$135,000$159 Very close on everything we compare
Hawthorne, NV 89415 87%710$57,083$172,600$141 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger
Milan, MO 63556 86%976$58,851$124,100$107 larger · more single-family homes
North Clarendon, VT 05759 85%2,033$58,150$209,100$199 pricier homes ($68K more) · more single-family homes
Pineville, WV 24874 85%1,534$54,596$96,600— cheaper homes ($45K less)
Langdon, ND 58249 84%1,217$64,571$148,500$94 5 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Harvey, ND 58341 84%1,121$61,641$139,000$246 larger · younger residents · more single-family homes
Manchester, NY 14504 83%1,814$65,750$110,000$140 cheaper homes ($32K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Madawaska, ME 04756 82%2,301$56,136$160,100$86 larger · more renters
Gettysburg, SD 57442 82%952$65,625$134,600— Very close on everything we compare
Lemmon, SD 57638 82%961$58,533$101,100$79 cheaper homes ($40K less) · more single-family homes
Cartwright, OK 74731 82%673$54,286$158,000$180 5 min longer commute · newer homes
Cando, ND 58324 81%1,180$61,146$157,500$68 Very close on everything we compare
Cooperstown, ND 58425 81%1,141$59,773$122,500— more single-family homes
Easton, ME 04740 80%2,312$53,309$163,800$42 7 min longer commute
Great Bend, PA 18821 80%1,876$52,857$171,800$156 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Natural Bridge Station, VA 24579 80%1,644$45,944$165,600$120 6 min longer commute
Philip, SD 57567 80%853$59,410$191,500— pricier homes ($50K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Stanfield, OR 97875 80%1,074$57,451$208,900$232 pricier homes ($67K more) · larger
Garnavillo, IA 52049 79%1,154$61,964$170,800$105 pricier homes ($29K more) · 5 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Wheaton, MN 56296 79%1,093$53,527$103,800$73 cheaper homes ($38K less) · more single-family homes
Kimball, SD 57355 79%906$63,125$144,200— more single-family homes
Malta, MT 59538 79%1,077$57,097$191,800— pricier homes ($50K more) · larger
Atwood, KS 67730 79%626$66,250$120,100— more single-family homes

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.