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 Anacortes, WA 98221

Anacortes: median income $96,528, home value $713,100, $419/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mashpee, MA 02649 89%2,538$95,299$562,200$420 cheaper homes ($151K less) · smaller
Nevada City, CA 95959 88%641$86,524$627,100$324 cheaper homes ($86K less)
Sisters, OR 97759 88%294$102,734$777,700$425 pricier homes ($65K more) · smaller
Kennebunkport, ME 04046 87%2,481$102,529$586,100$434 cheaper homes ($127K less) · smaller
Buena Vista, CO 81211 87%1,056$88,083$677,400$409 cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller
Santa Fe, NM 87506 87%1,217$96,511$611,800$464 cheaper homes ($101K less) · older residents
La Quinta, CA 92253 87%1,075$99,277$661,600$363 cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger · more walkable
Santa Rosa, CA 95409 87%694$107,867$802,000$445 pricier homes ($89K more) · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Jacksonville, OR 97530 87%437$89,239$617,400$313 cheaper homes ($96K less) · smaller
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 86%2,506$86,193$437,500$368 cheaper homes ($276K less) · smaller
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 86%1,104$84,270$486,000$342 cheaper homes ($227K less) · smaller
Auburn, CA 95602 86%662$97,466$688,500$339 5 min longer commute
Wakefield, RI 02879 85%2,497$112,231$564,700$445 cheaper homes ($148K less) · older homes
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459 85%2,279$107,821$684,700$469 cheaper homes ($28K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Bigfork, MT 59911 85%394$83,019$666,400$456 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420 85%928$110,553$917,900$572 pricier homes ($205K more)
Harwich, MA 02645 84%2,555$104,401$648,200$483 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller · older residents
Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 84%2,436$97,948$639,400$351 cheaper homes ($74K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Salida, CO 81201 84%1,077$80,248$674,000$428 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 83%2,443$94,349$548,600$347 cheaper homes ($165K less) · smaller · older residents
Eliot, ME 03903 83%2,476$101,522$498,900$363 cheaper homes ($214K less) · smaller
York, ME 03909 83%2,480$115,608$638,400$414 cheaper homes ($75K less) · smaller · older homes
Carson City, NV 89703 83%660$85,230$626,500$330 cheaper homes ($87K less) · smaller · more walkable
Westerly, RI 02891 82%2,486$97,110$470,000$369 cheaper homes ($243K less) · older homes
Kennebunk, ME 04043 82%2,478$107,804$487,700$378 cheaper homes ($225K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes

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.