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 Blaine, WA 98230

Blaine: median income $86,623, home value $499,800, $316/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hayden, ID 83835 95%286$91,316$562,000$337 pricier homes ($62K more)
Rathdrum, ID 83858 94%279$95,380$507,600$341 Very close on everything we compare
Montrose, CO 81403 93%1,037$80,893$515,300$311 smaller · older residents
Fruita, CO 81521 93%968$88,458$422,900$294 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210 91%2,432$90,013$370,500$283 cheaper homes ($129K less)
Hurricane, UT 84737 91%942$75,545$460,400$275 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Helena, MT 59602 90%523$92,985$408,600$270 cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger
Columbia Falls, MT 59912 90%392$76,617$488,800$399 younger residents
Fredericksburg, TX 78624 90%1,796$75,237$463,300$284 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Bayfield, CO 81122 90%1,107$93,714$459,800$322 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 90%1,128$84,270$486,000$342 older residents
Creswell, OR 97426 90%350$90,125$488,000$284 smaller
Weaverville, NC 28787 89%2,215$78,604$401,700$266 cheaper homes ($98K less)
East Helena, MT 59635 89%528$83,740$395,600$277 cheaper homes ($104K less) · smaller
Sandpoint, ID 83864 89%287$70,496$516,500$381 Very close on everything we compare
Jacksonville, OR 97530 89%469$89,239$617,400$313 pricier homes ($118K more) · smaller
Manteo, NC 27954 88%2,517$80,587$418,400$374 cheaper homes ($81K less) · smaller
Fletcher, NC 28732 88%2,228$81,852$376,700$233 cheaper homes ($123K less)
Three Forks, MT 59752 88%564$86,767$461,100$334 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Williams, AZ 86046 88%1,071$79,095$418,700$323 cheaper homes ($81K less) · smaller
Cottonwood, CA 96022 88%594$89,338$366,700$261 cheaper homes ($133K less)
Eagle Point, OR 97524 88%447$82,933$433,100$259 cheaper homes ($67K less) · more walkable
Soldotna, AK 99669 88%1,368$80,980$320,200$269 cheaper homes ($180K less)
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 87%2,512$86,193$437,500$368 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller
Swansboro, NC 28584 87%2,500$87,414$339,200$221 cheaper homes ($161K less)

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.