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 Port Townsend, WA 98368

Port Townsend: median income $69,688, home value $554,300, $385/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Prescott, AZ 86303 86%1,082$72,359$563,000$321 less walkable
Sedona, AZ 86336 85%1,079$68,435$774,800$468 pricier homes ($221K more) · smaller
Carson City, NV 89703 82%635$85,230$626,500$330 pricier homes ($72K more) · smaller · younger residents
Cape May, NJ 08204 81%2,437$82,466$461,400$536 cheaper homes ($93K less) · younger residents
Estes Park, CO 80517 79%1,005$95,404$701,700$415 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($147K more) · smaller
Santa Fe, NM 87505 78%1,221$78,247$507,800$374 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger · younger residents
Las Vegas, NV 89134 78%906$83,688$472,900$299 cheaper homes ($81K less) · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Black Mountain, NC 28711 77%2,225$74,761$370,200$307 cheaper homes ($184K less) · 6 min longer commute · less walkable
Highlands, NC 28741 77%2,204$70,392$631,000$625 pricier homes ($77K more) · smaller · less walkable
Prescott, AZ 86301 77%1,075$72,652$515,400$313 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger · less walkable
Santa Fe, NM 87501 76%1,212$79,603$673,100$480 pricier homes ($119K more) · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Murphys, CA 95247 76%699$76,333$537,400$306 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Prescott, AZ 86305 75%1,048$80,436$655,600$323 pricier homes ($101K more) · 6 min longer commute · less walkable
Florence, OR 97439 75%291$61,982$410,900$307 cheaper homes ($143K less)
Westbrook, CT 06498 74%2,471$91,202$434,300$328 cheaper homes ($120K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Salida, CO 81201 74%1,069$80,248$674,000$428 pricier homes ($120K more) · smaller · younger residents
Nevada City, CA 95959 74%615$86,524$627,100$324 pricier homes ($73K more) · 6 min longer commute · less walkable
Brevard, NC 28712 73%2,220$63,045$414,300$299 cheaper homes ($140K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Sarasota, FL 34239 73%2,585$80,923$475,700$371 cheaper homes ($79K less) · 6 min longer commute · more walkable
El Prado, NM 87529 73%1,189$61,618$487,300$336 cheaper homes ($67K less) · smaller · less walkable
Eastham, MA 02642 72%2,566$72,992$732,200$546 pricier homes ($178K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 72%2,438$97,948$639,400$351 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($85K more) · less walkable
Chandler, AZ 85248 72%1,173$94,495$527,800$275 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Falmouth, MA 02540 71%2,546$77,295$844,500$485 pricier homes ($290K more) · smaller · older homes
South Yarmouth, MA 02664 71%2,561$82,125$551,400$474 smaller · 9 min longer commute · 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.