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 Anchorage, AK 99502

Anchorage: median income $116,071, home value $418,300, $273/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Smithfield, RI 02917 91%3,381$110,938$451,800$281 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Colchester, VT 05446 91%3,187$97,475$393,200$282 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller · older residents
Mesa, AZ 85213 91%2,554$103,969$438,900$270 Very close on everything we compare
Virginia Beach, VA 23454 90%3,511$102,796$416,700$262 larger
Virginia Beach, VA 23453 88%3,512$93,838$336,900$234 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Chaska, MN 55318 88%2,501$112,243$420,400$211 newer homes
Nashua, NH 03063 87%3,334$107,630$391,400$291 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Latham, NY 12110 87%3,263$105,024$340,100$264 cheaper homes ($78K less)
Sterling, VA 20164 87%3,345$135,660$544,300$320 pricier homes ($126K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Phoenix, AZ 85024 87%2,533$106,724$471,000$303 pricier homes ($53K more) · newer homes
Chico, CA 95973 87%1,895$92,813$489,900$313 pricier homes ($72K more) · larger
Salem, OR 97306 87%1,566$101,753$463,100$267 pricier homes ($45K more) · newer homes
Bremerton, WA 98311 87%1,425$108,757$471,800$299 pricier homes ($54K more) · more single-family homes
Olympia, WA 98512 87%1,450$101,530$472,100$316 pricier homes ($54K more)
Mount Holly, NJ 08060 86%3,377$109,292$338,100$234 cheaper homes ($80K less) · 9 min longer commute
Hatfield, PA 19440 86%3,346$99,408$438,500$258 6 min longer commute
Sparks, NV 89434 86%1,967$91,507$457,000$302 pricier homes ($39K more)
Beaverton, OR 97003 86%1,534$99,072$478,300$313 pricier homes ($60K more) · more renters
Hillsboro, OR 97123 86%1,533$109,985$538,500$298 pricier homes ($120K more) · larger
Hamden, CT 06518 85%3,362$106,692$325,300$212 cheaper homes ($93K less)
Bordentown, NJ 08505 85%3,372$112,845$362,500$263 cheaper homes ($56K less) · 8 min longer commute
Jessup, MD 20794 85%3,358$116,406$426,100$248 6 min longer commute
Shakopee, MN 55379 85%2,506$106,312$379,700$201 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger · newer homes
Minneapolis, MN 55443 85%2,494$95,082$370,800$179 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Midland, TX 79705 85%2,927$105,310$351,700$188 cheaper homes ($67K 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.