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 Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352

Lake Arrowhead: median income $105,753, home value $694,600, $340/sq ft, 44-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bailey, CO 80421 87%740$98,452$578,700$316 cheaper homes ($116K less) · younger residents
Camano Island, WA 98282 86%1,000$105,231$670,800$396 larger · newer homes
Catlett, VA 20119 85%2,202$115,757$560,700$260 cheaper homes ($134K less) · smaller · younger residents
Clinton, WA 98236 85%983$94,362$668,400$423 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
Bellvue, CO 80512 84%788$97,837$625,000$309 cheaper homes ($70K less) · smaller
Clinton Corners, NY 12514 83%2,394$120,439$436,700$364 cheaper homes ($258K less) · smaller
Pine, CO 80470 83%745$135,682$681,300$304 higher income ($30K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Waretown, NJ 08758 81%2,380$96,900$486,300$266 cheaper homes ($208K less) · newer homes
Bluemont, VA 20135 81%2,189$114,219$573,500$347 cheaper homes ($121K less) · smaller · younger residents
White Hall, MD 21161 81%2,255$108,094$472,600$287 cheaper homes ($222K less) · younger residents
Florence, MT 59833 81%870$94,097$551,600$333 cheaper homes ($143K less) · newer homes
Breezy Point, NY 11697 80%2,391$122,667$720,200$594 pricier homes ($26K more)
Rhododendron, OR 97049 80%805$92,056$474,200$284 cheaper homes ($220K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Rochester, MA 02770 79%2,544$120,320$601,200$348 cheaper homes ($93K less) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Oak Ridge, NJ 07438 79%2,357$123,271$436,900$280 cheaper homes ($258K less) · larger · younger residents
Kintnersville, PA 18930 79%2,323$127,072$524,000$253 cheaper homes ($171K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Shady Side, MD 20764 79%2,262$118,857$432,700$298 cheaper homes ($262K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Bloomsbury, NJ 08804 78%2,328$107,333$462,000$271 cheaper homes ($233K less) · smaller · younger residents
Holmes, NY 12531 78%2,400$129,028$475,400$312 cheaper homes ($219K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Boring, OR 97009 78%819$106,650$647,500$335 cheaper homes ($47K less) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Sherman, CT 06784 77%2,409$116,750$492,700$336 cheaper homes ($202K less) · smaller · older residents
Great Meadows, NJ 07838 77%2,336$121,599$440,100$265 cheaper homes ($255K less) · smaller · younger residents
Putnam Valley, NY 10579 77%2,391$132,500$548,400$327 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($146K less) · younger residents
Queenstown, MD 21658 77%2,281$128,274$483,200$300 cheaper homes ($211K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Wadmalaw Island, SC 29487 77%2,125$105,592$487,900$347 cheaper homes ($207K less) · smaller · less walkable

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.