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 Winthrop, WA 98862

Winthrop: median income $71,080, home value $720,200, $447/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bar Harbor, ME 04609 83%2,442$77,180$538,400$376 cheaper homes ($182K less) · larger · younger residents
Highlands, NC 28741 77%2,091$70,392$631,000$625 cheaper homes ($89K less) · older residents
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 77%1,568$73,784$432,200$406 cheaper homes ($288K less) · smaller
Saint Michaels, MD 21663 76%2,264$89,775$650,500$438 cheaper homes ($70K less) · 7 min longer commute · older homes
Three Rivers, CA 93271 76%834$85,922$493,900$382 cheaper homes ($226K less) · older homes
Lake Leelanau, MI 49653 75%1,635$85,787$669,800$386 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Estes Park, CO 80517 75%913$95,404$701,700$415 larger
Bigfork, MT 59911 73%282$83,019$666,400$456 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Salida, CO 81201 73%986$80,248$674,000$428 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger · younger residents
Ivins, UT 84738 73%846$77,993$592,900$344 cheaper homes ($127K less) · larger
Arroyo Seco, NM 87514 73%1,109$71,556$545,200$432 cheaper homes ($175K less) · smaller · older residents
El Prado, NM 87529 73%1,113$61,618$487,300$336 cheaper homes ($233K less) · larger
Eastham, MA 02642 72%2,443$72,992$732,200$546 larger · older homes
Stowe, VT 05672 72%2,240$93,618$647,800$433 cheaper homes ($72K less) · larger · younger residents
Edisto Island, SC 29438 72%2,331$86,979$642,400$452 cheaper homes ($78K less) · older residents · 9 min longer commute
Sedona, AZ 86336 72%1,037$68,435$774,800$468 pricier homes ($55K more) · larger
Camden, ME 04843 71%2,409$82,344$520,600$375 cheaper homes ($200K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Nathrop, CO 81236 71%972$98,170$745,400$452 higher income ($27K more) · pricier homes ($25K more) · smaller
Grand Marais, MN 55604 70%1,368$73,427$352,500$369 cheaper homes ($368K less)
Whitefish, MT 59937 70%267$75,428$698,200$567 larger · younger residents
Mount Desert, ME 04660 69%2,440$78,646$480,600$430 cheaper homes ($240K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Nags Head, NC 27959 69%2,402$91,264$490,800$424 cheaper homes ($229K less) · 7 min longer commute · more walkable
Blowing Rock, NC 28605 69%2,115$76,477$552,400$507 cheaper homes ($168K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Ouray, CO 81427 69%955$84,167$604,200$291 cheaper homes ($116K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
McCall, ID 83638 69%315$75,217$730,400$484 larger · younger residents

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.