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 Chelan, WA 98816

Chelan: median income $82,577, home value $499,200, $421/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Warrenton, OR 97146 94%218$82,936$463,800$313 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Bishop, CA 93514 87%720$81,278$422,600$349 cheaper homes ($77K less) · larger
Sandpoint, ID 83864 86%164$70,496$516,500$381 larger
Seabrook, NH 03874 85%2,370$82,995$446,100$351 cheaper homes ($53K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814 85%151$74,782$589,600$419 pricier homes ($90K more) · larger
Tillamook, OR 97141 84%245$69,831$398,100$335 cheaper homes ($101K less) · larger · younger residents
Sublimity, OR 97385 84%246$84,796$494,600$308 smaller
Moab, UT 84532 83%830$68,444$549,400$392 pricier homes ($50K more) · younger residents
Lanai City, HI 96763 83%2,769$92,417$638,400$517 pricier homes ($139K more) · smaller · younger residents
Manteo, NC 27954 82%2,389$80,587$418,400$374 cheaper homes ($81K less) · more homeowners
Missoula, MT 59804 82%283$76,266$588,400$351 pricier homes ($89K more)
Hamilton, MT 59840 82%297$61,752$428,100$343 cheaper homes ($71K less) · larger
Grand Junction, CO 81506 82%833$78,651$448,300$263 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Willits, CA 95490 82%604$79,594$392,700$254 cheaper homes ($107K less) · larger
Diamond Springs, CA 95619 82%634$66,429$373,900$321 cheaper homes ($125K less) · smaller
Brookings, OR 97415 82%451$69,152$394,800$316 cheaper homes ($104K less) · larger · older residents
Lake Placid, NY 12946 81%2,188$77,548$467,000$363 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
Junction City, OR 97448 81%295$81,029$478,700$288 larger · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Cody, WY 82414 80%571$77,958$435,300$252 cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger
Kanab, UT 84741 80%838$85,417$418,100$255 cheaper homes ($81K less) · more homeowners
Laconia, NH 03246 79%2,322$73,241$339,700$305 cheaper homes ($160K less) · larger · older homes
Kittery, ME 03904 79%2,369$85,084$448,900$448 cheaper homes ($50K less) · older homes
Traverse City, MI 49684 79%1,641$80,788$420,200$332 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger
Columbia Falls, MT 59912 79%272$76,617$488,800$399 larger · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Montrose, CO 81401 79%890$71,286$374,300$280 cheaper homes ($125K less) · larger

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.