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.

Reset

Towns most like Bella Vista, CA 96008

Bella Vista: median income $92,313, home value $345,800, $233/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Asotin, WA 99402 94%451$78,906$339,800$197 Very close on everything we compare
Elysian, MN 56028 91%1,458$93,375$338,000$253 Very close on everything we compare
New Haven, VT 05472 90%2,468$92,537$378,000$217 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger · younger residents
Cascade Locks, OR 97014 90%341$75,000$387,700$246 pricier homes ($42K more)
Shoreham, VT 05770 89%2,465$92,188$320,000$217 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 6 min longer commute
New Woodstock, NY 13122 89%2,355$81,500$282,300$149 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Darwin, MN 55324 89%1,424$83,269$355,100$196 Very close on everything we compare
Bruceville, TX 76630 89%1,526$83,950$263,700$176 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger
Gum Spring, VA 23065 88%2,345$92,577$305,100$251 cheaper homes ($41K less) · 6 min longer commute
Hickman, TN 38567 88%1,969$100,368$340,500— younger residents
Rocky Mount, MO 65072 88%1,567$78,750$335,700$286 larger · 6 min longer commute
Bernardston, MA 01337 87%2,519$85,045$338,800$233 larger · older homes
Goode, VA 24556 87%2,279$87,250$399,000$204 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger
Armuchee, GA 30105 87%2,050$99,375$328,700$207 larger · 6 min longer commute
Ridgeway, WI 53582 87%1,648$89,107$266,400$219 cheaper homes ($79K less) · 6 min longer commute
Wentworth, SD 57075 87%1,296$106,763$426,800$287 pricier homes ($81K more)
Fayetteville, TX 78940 87%1,610$89,157$292,200$249 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger
Spring Green, WI 53588 86%1,643$83,417$292,300$232 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger
Miltona, MN 56354 86%1,385$88,693$403,700$235 pricier homes ($58K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Cascade, MT 59421 86%684$78,125$377,900$267 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Ventress, LA 70783 86%1,844$103,583$386,100$170 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
Andes, NY 13731 85%2,419$73,750$291,300$214 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Taft, TN 38488 85%1,957$77,875$261,500$205 cheaper homes ($84K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Hinton, IA 51024 85%1,331$114,219$347,800$185 larger
Elkhart Lake, WI 53020 85%1,743$89,155$330,900$248 larger · older homes

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.