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 Durham, CA 95938

Durham: median income $82,974, home value $611,700, $368/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lake Placid, NY 12946 89%2,442$77,548$467,000$363 cheaper homes ($145K less)
Mount Hood Parkdale, OR 97041 86%405$82,679$705,600$416 pricier homes ($94K more)
Twisp, WA 98856 85%609$70,089$484,600$320 cheaper homes ($127K less) · newer homes
Manhattan, MT 59741 84%680$90,947$615,200$382 more homeowners · newer homes
Salida, CO 81201 82%849$80,248$674,000$428 pricier homes ($62K more) · larger · newer homes
Kittery, ME 03904 81%2,617$85,084$448,900$448 cheaper homes ($163K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Washington Depot, CT 06794 80%2,511$96,979$733,100$431 pricier homes ($121K more) · smaller · older residents
Tivoli, NY 12583 80%2,476$79,583$462,500$255 cheaper homes ($149K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Blowing Rock, NC 28605 80%2,181$76,477$552,400$507 cheaper homes ($59K less) · newer homes
Jacksonville, OR 97530 80%188$89,239$617,400$313 larger · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners
Seward, AK 99664 80%1,848$87,760$384,600$271 cheaper homes ($227K less) · 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Pawcatuck, CT 06379 79%2,590$95,066$406,100$286 cheaper homes ($206K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Germantown, NY 12526 79%2,477$97,679$485,000$361 cheaper homes ($127K less) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Paonia, CO 81428 79%760$75,799$432,700$279 cheaper homes ($179K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Holualoa, HI 96725 79%2,449$93,346$880,000$586 pricier homes ($268K more) · 7 min longer commute
Buena Vista, CO 81211 78%838$88,083$677,400$409 pricier homes ($66K more) · larger · newer homes
Manson, WA 98831 78%577$82,650$659,500$341 pricier homes ($48K more) · newer homes
Sheffield, MA 01257 77%2,502$102,788$441,000$299 cheaper homes ($171K less) · smaller · older residents
Conway, NH 03818 77%2,584$77,134$324,800$241 cheaper homes ($287K less)
Eliot, ME 03903 77%2,614$101,522$498,900$363 cheaper homes ($113K less) · larger · older residents
Missoula, MT 59804 77%628$76,266$588,400$351 larger · more walkable
Leadville, CO 80461 77%826$95,775$458,400$402 cheaper homes ($153K less) · larger · younger residents
Lanai City, HI 96763 77%2,443$92,417$638,400$517 pricier homes ($27K more) · newer homes
Sublimity, OR 97385 77%364$84,796$494,600$308 cheaper homes ($117K less) · newer homes
Sparkill, NY 10976 76%2,491$85,893$651,800$423 pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller · younger 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.