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 Carson City, NV 89703

Carson City: median income $85,230, home value $626,500, $330/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Buzzards Bay, MA 02532 89%2,557$87,773$497,600$374 cheaper homes ($129K less) · 6 min longer commute
Great Barrington, MA 01230 88%2,411$86,694$527,300$378 cheaper homes ($99K less) · 6 min longer commute
Westbrook, CT 06498 88%2,469$91,202$434,300$328 cheaper homes ($192K less) · smaller · older residents
Auburn, CA 95603 88%72$85,357$650,500$369 larger
South Yarmouth, MA 02664 87%2,578$82,125$551,400$474 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Westerly, RI 02891 87%2,501$97,110$470,000$369 cheaper homes ($157K less) · larger
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 87%2,401$86,193$437,500$368 cheaper homes ($189K less)
Salida, CO 81201 86%742$80,248$674,000$428 pricier homes ($48K more) · younger residents
Murphys, CA 95247 86%80$76,333$537,400$306 cheaper homes ($89K less) · smaller
Camino, CA 95709 86%56$79,780$578,700$298 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Jacksonville, OR 97530 86%269$89,239$617,400$313 younger residents · less walkable
West Yarmouth, MA 02673 85%2,576$73,854$502,200$411 cheaper homes ($124K less)
South Dartmouth, MA 02748 85%2,540$97,361$521,800$377 cheaper homes ($105K less) · older homes
Meredith, NH 03253 85%2,486$84,719$482,700$354 cheaper homes ($144K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Eliot, ME 03903 85%2,527$101,522$498,900$363 cheaper homes ($128K less) · smaller · less walkable
Cape May, NJ 08204 85%2,381$82,466$461,400$536 cheaper homes ($165K less) · larger
Missoula, MT 59804 85%601$76,266$588,400$351 cheaper homes ($38K less) · younger residents
Nevada City, CA 95959 85%65$86,524$627,100$324 larger · less walkable
Olympia, WA 98506 85%570$91,596$490,900$298 cheaper homes ($136K less) · larger
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 84%2,501$94,349$548,600$347 cheaper homes ($78K less) · smaller · less walkable
Manchester Center, VT 05255 84%2,415$91,058$445,500$270 cheaper homes ($181K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Niantic, CT 06357 84%2,481$93,026$397,300$301 cheaper homes ($229K less)
Greenville, RI 02828 83%2,506$97,196$440,900$291 cheaper homes ($186K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Fairfield, NJ 07004 83%2,382$115,980$688,500$393 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($62K more)
Prescott, AZ 86303 83%521$72,359$563,000$321 cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger · 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.