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 Volcano, HI 96785

Volcano: median income $68,463, home value $369,000, $329/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Westcliffe, CO 81252 94%3,231$69,527$401,900$258 pricier homes ($33K more)
Divide, CO 80814 90%3,253$80,500$466,800$254 pricier homes ($98K more)
Saluda, NC 28773 88%4,506$70,703$413,700$319 pricier homes ($45K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Swanton, MD 21561 87%4,639$73,858$328,700$295 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller · older homes
Sautee Nacoochee, GA 30571 87%4,434$62,917$312,400$204 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Florissant, CO 80816 87%3,246$75,472$418,200$252 pricier homes ($49K more)
Mancos, CO 81328 86%3,068$72,522$412,700$293 pricier homes ($44K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Huddleston, VA 24104 84%4,646$65,738$339,300$308 cheaper homes ($30K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Merrifield, MN 56465 84%3,885$74,400$372,100$337 smaller · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Moneta, VA 24121 83%4,637$81,006$391,800$299 larger · more apartments and townhomes
West End, NC 27376 83%4,662$74,598$349,300$208 larger
Heathsville, VA 22473 82%4,805$68,021$261,700$260 cheaper homes ($107K less) · 5 min longer commute
Lake Lure, NC 28746 82%4,513$70,469$470,700$313 pricier homes ($102K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Morganton, GA 30560 82%4,403$66,016$321,300$271 cheaper homes ($48K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Hesperus, CO 81326 82%3,075$80,089$558,600$413 pricier homes ($190K more) · smaller
Loon Lake, WA 99148 82%2,877$67,431$429,900$336 pricier homes ($61K more) · smaller · younger residents
Naples, ME 04055 81%5,031$78,188$340,100$334 cheaper homes ($29K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Iron River, WI 54847 81%4,014$68,795$266,600$236 cheaper homes ($102K less) · smaller
Thayne, WY 83127 81%3,024$87,743$482,700$325 pricier homes ($114K more) · younger residents
Casco, ME 04015 80%5,035$69,313$355,500$316 5 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Kents Hill, ME 04349 80%5,051$59,500$257,600$307 cheaper homes ($111K less) · smaller
Surry, ME 04684 80%5,126$74,508$296,300$251 cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller
Doswell, VA 23047 80%4,746$81,136$396,300$226 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Townville, SC 29689 80%4,480$72,951$341,600$264 cheaper homes ($27K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Townsend, TN 37882 80%4,423$69,012$344,500$315 smaller · older residents · 6 min shorter commute

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.