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 Banks, OR 97106

Banks: median income $104,250, home value $546,400, $321/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bayfield, CO 81122 93%988$93,714$459,800$322 cheaper homes ($87K less) · larger
Sanbornton, NH 03269 92%2,495$107,083$450,000$319 cheaper homes ($96K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Madison Lake, MN 56063 92%1,428$102,391$416,300$297 cheaper homes ($130K less) · smaller
Southampton, MA 01073 91%2,477$123,125$452,300$303 cheaper homes ($94K less)
Williamsburg, MI 49690 90%1,818$108,712$352,200$306 cheaper homes ($194K less)
Brooklyn, WI 53521 90%1,669$108,036$391,100$263 cheaper homes ($155K less)
Hope Valley, RI 02832 89%2,544$105,976$432,300$270 cheaper homes ($114K less)
South Berwick, ME 03908 89%2,541$98,289$425,700$274 cheaper homes ($121K less) · larger
Manhattan, MT 59741 89%569$90,947$615,200$382 pricier homes ($69K more) · 6 min shorter commute
White Salmon, WA 98672 89%80$97,622$669,200$415 pricier homes ($123K more) · larger
West Greenwich, RI 02817 88%2,544$135,625$535,400$274 higher income ($31K more)
Exeter, RI 02822 88%2,548$112,813$520,100$345 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Virginia Beach, VA 23457 88%2,491$116,250$571,000$312 5 min longer commute
Mills River, NC 28759 88%2,218$107,609$444,300$274 cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger · older residents
Runnells, IA 50237 88%1,504$101,806$346,900$300 cheaper homes ($200K less)
Belleville, WI 53508 88%1,661$99,948$350,700$230 cheaper homes ($196K less)
Clancy, MT 59634 88%536$129,891$553,900$264 higher income ($26K more)
China Spring, TX 76633 88%1,683$106,755$404,300$226 cheaper homes ($142K less)
Oak Creek, CO 80467 88%898$102,143$663,500$404 pricier homes ($117K more) · smaller
Woodland Park, CO 80863 88%1,028$104,779$572,100$261 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger
Palo Cedro, CA 96073 88%354$120,469$567,000$274 older homes
Mendon, MA 01756 87%2,536$132,256$616,000$314 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($70K more)
Chichester, NH 03258 87%2,511$108,906$410,100$271 cheaper homes ($136K less) · smaller
Barrington, NH 03825 87%2,530$110,323$399,100$316 cheaper homes ($147K less) · larger
North Berwick, ME 03906 87%2,541$105,156$432,900$325 cheaper homes ($114K less) · 5 min longer 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.