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 Westport, WA 98595

Westport: median income $66,579, home value $260,400, $315/sq ft, 13-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dove Creek, CO 81324 89%997$71,630$223,100— cheaper homes ($37K less) · more homeowners
Craig, AK 99921 87%709$64,250$302,900$257 pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller · younger residents
Wrangell, AK 99929 83%747$64,375$296,800$198 pricier homes ($36K more) · younger residents
Bayfield, WI 54814 82%1,561$63,682$250,000$268 more homeowners
Diamond Springs, CA 95619 82%590$66,429$373,900$321 pricier homes ($114K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
John Day, OR 97845 82%302$68,036$248,700$176 older homes
Cape Charles, VA 23310 81%2,514$62,500$377,300$318 pricier homes ($117K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Jefferson, NC 28640 81%2,287$53,155$282,900$264 larger · 6 min longer commute
Canyonville, OR 97417 81%276$50,217$246,200$269 6 min longer commute
Montezuma, IA 50171 80%1,594$65,000$216,000$269 cheaper homes ($44K less) · 8 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Saint Germain, WI 54558 80%1,637$59,718$261,000$345 more homeowners · more single-family homes
New Market, VA 22844 79%2,339$65,974$281,200$202 larger · 10 min longer commute
Salmon, ID 83467 79%505$53,917$316,700$265 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger · more homeowners
Reedsport, OR 97467 79%220$58,202$252,400$239 larger · 6 min longer commute · more walkable
Apalachicola, FL 32320 77%2,395$46,713$241,500$279 Very close on everything we compare
Philip, SD 57567 77%1,100$59,410$191,500— cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Lakeside, AZ 85929 77%1,146$62,752$306,900$290 pricier homes ($47K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Brookings, OR 97415 77%334$69,152$394,800$316 pricier homes ($134K more) · larger
Gold Beach, OR 97444 77%310$64,920$402,700$296 pricier homes ($142K more) · larger · older residents
Petersburg, AK 99833 77%787$75,125$315,100$241 pricier homes ($55K more) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Chincoteague Island, VA 23336 76%2,520$63,464$346,700$288 pricier homes ($86K more) · more homeowners
Del Norte, CO 81132 76%1,103$55,000$209,500$235 cheaper homes ($51K less) · 6 min longer commute
Rockaway Beach, OR 97136 76%88$66,106$375,000$372 pricier homes ($115K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Stanfield, OR 97875 76%245$57,451$208,900$232 cheaper homes ($52K less) · younger residents
North Clarendon, VT 05759 75%2,456$58,150$209,100$199 cheaper homes ($51K less) · more homeowners

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.