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 Point Arena, CA 95468

Point Arena: median income $115,955, home value $489,900, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cross Plains, WI 53528 86%1,782$106,823$436,100$232 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger
Exeter, RI 02822 85%2,706$112,813$520,100$345 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger
Boiling Springs, PA 17007 85%2,450$117,130$385,600$185 cheaper homes ($104K less) · larger
Spofford, NH 03462 84%2,646$115,313$396,200$210 cheaper homes ($94K less) · older residents
Plainfield, NH 03781 84%2,644$109,659$426,400$270 cheaper homes ($64K less) · more homeowners
East Montpelier, VT 05651 84%2,624$103,393$393,500$201 cheaper homes ($96K less) · more homeowners
West Barnstable, MA 02668 83%2,766$111,731$709,300$459 pricier homes ($219K more) · more homeowners
Malcolm, NE 68402 83%1,418$123,000$449,000$241 cheaper homes ($41K less) · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners
North Bennington, VT 05257 82%2,604$94,375$307,500$258 cheaper homes ($182K less)
Windsor, WI 53598 82%1,796$106,476$399,800$213 cheaper homes ($90K less) · larger · newer homes
Prairie Du Sac, WI 53578 80%1,776$105,610$347,000$226 cheaper homes ($143K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Dundee, OR 97115 80%441$117,446$526,200$336 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger · more homeowners
Sheffield, MA 01257 79%2,610$102,788$441,000$299 cheaper homes ($49K less) · older residents
Brownstown, PA 17508 79%2,496$104,597$347,800$131 cheaper homes ($142K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Ely, IA 52227 79%1,688$120,230$341,900$196 cheaper homes ($148K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Madison Lake, MN 56063 79%1,573$102,391$416,300$297 cheaper homes ($74K less) · larger · older residents
Bradford, RI 02808 78%2,702$106,681$388,300$328 cheaper homes ($102K less) · 9 min longer commute
Ivoryton, CT 06442 78%2,668$104,358$468,200$297 more walkable
Le Claire, IA 52753 78%1,751$103,813$328,700$215 cheaper homes ($161K less) · larger
Wales, WI 53183 78%1,846$108,827$398,700$207 cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Dane, WI 53529 78%1,788$107,560$392,700$208 cheaper homes ($97K less)
Deerfield, WI 53531 78%1,810$105,000$353,300$219 cheaper homes ($137K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Manhattan, MT 59741 78%786$90,947$615,200$382 lower income ($25K less) · pricier homes ($125K more) · larger
Driggs, ID 83422 78%727$96,530$548,600$486 pricier homes ($59K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Willard, UT 84340 78%634$108,304$498,000$178 larger · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners

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.