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 Nevada City, CA 95959

Nevada City: median income $86,524, home value $627,100, $324/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 92%2,556$94,349$548,600$347 cheaper homes ($79K less) · smaller
Seneca, SC 29672 90%2,105$90,650$482,100$271 cheaper homes ($145K less)
Harwich, MA 02645 89%2,641$104,401$648,200$483 smaller
Prescott, AZ 86305 89%539$80,436$655,600$323 pricier homes ($29K more) · older residents · newer homes
Anacortes, WA 98221 88%641$96,528$713,100$419 pricier homes ($86K more)
Bigfork, MT 59911 87%696$83,019$666,400$456 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller
Eliot, ME 03903 86%2,583$101,522$498,900$363 cheaper homes ($128K less) · smaller · younger residents
East Falmouth, MA 02536 85%2,617$100,497$558,600$495 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Meredith, NH 03253 85%2,541$84,719$482,700$354 cheaper homes ($144K less) · smaller
Hendersonville, NC 28739 85%2,116$73,582$394,900$273 cheaper homes ($232K less)
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 85%768$84,270$486,000$342 cheaper homes ($141K less) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Tucson, AZ 85749 85%749$109,219$590,400$282 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Corrales, NM 87048 85%837$102,004$574,000$319 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Carson City, NV 89703 85%65$85,230$626,500$330 smaller · more walkable
Mashpee, MA 02649 84%2,621$95,299$562,200$420 cheaper homes ($65K less) · 5 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 84%2,462$86,193$437,500$368 cheaper homes ($190K less) · younger residents
Jacksonville, OR 97530 84%226$89,239$617,400$313 smaller · younger residents
Sisters, OR 97759 84%348$102,734$777,700$425 pricier homes ($151K more) · smaller · newer homes
Brewster, MA 02631 83%2,639$102,132$700,500$488 pricier homes ($73K more) · smaller
South Yarmouth, MA 02664 83%2,634$82,125$551,400$474 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller · older homes
Moultonborough, NH 03254 83%2,545$106,440$641,300$374 smaller · more homeowners
Kennebunkport, ME 04046 83%2,594$102,529$586,100$434 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller · younger residents
Berlin, MD 21811 83%2,439$90,082$388,900$265 cheaper homes ($238K less)
Greensboro, GA 30642 83%2,123$95,527$496,400$262 cheaper homes ($131K less) · newer homes
Harbor Springs, MI 49740 83%1,868$89,250$363,500$312 cheaper homes ($264K less) · smaller

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.