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 99517

Anchorage: median income $103,880, home value $402,100, $256/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Rocky Hill, CT 06067 90%3,356$100,027$337,300$242 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Westbrook, ME 04092 89%3,321$85,038$383,300$331 Very close on everything we compare
Lebanon, NH 03766 88%3,263$100,881$395,600$270 Very close on everything we compare
Nashua, NH 03063 87%3,333$107,630$391,400$291 9 min longer commute
Colchester, VT 05446 86%3,185$97,475$393,200$282 more homeowners
Essex Junction, VT 05452 86%3,191$101,349$432,400$265 pricier homes ($30K more)
Latham, NY 12110 86%3,262$105,024$340,100$264 cheaper homes ($62K less) · more single-family homes
Hatfield, PA 19440 86%3,344$99,408$438,500$258 pricier homes ($36K more) · 9 min longer commute
Saint Paul, MN 55122 86%2,515$96,823$356,600$200 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Minneapolis, MN 55441 86%2,497$101,981$470,100$214 pricier homes ($68K more)
Horsham, PA 19044 85%3,355$88,173$402,400$297 8 min longer commute
Concord, NH 03301 84%3,309$86,840$371,300$268 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Dover, NH 03820 84%3,331$94,897$436,100$328 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Hamden, CT 06518 84%3,361$106,692$325,300$212 cheaper homes ($77K less) · younger residents
Virginia Beach, VA 23455 84%3,502$94,069$418,000$247 larger · 6 min longer commute
Des Moines, IA 50321 84%2,668$80,351$320,500$212 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller
White River Junction, VT 05001 83%3,257$78,092$296,900$271 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($105K less) · smaller
Henrico, VA 23238 83%3,425$101,523$420,500$241 larger · 7 min longer commute
Maitland, FL 32751 83%3,797$95,387$453,700$291 pricier homes ($52K more) · 8 min longer commute
Orlando, FL 32819 83%3,803$98,109$489,700$278 pricier homes ($88K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Chattanooga, TN 37405 83%3,298$81,337$460,600$297 pricier homes ($59K more)
Saint Paul, MN 55112 83%2,501$93,838$358,500$200 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Rensselaer, NY 12144 82%3,269$90,738$249,700$213 cheaper homes ($152K less) · 5 min longer commute
Hopkins, MN 55305 82%2,499$104,914$451,800$234 pricier homes ($50K more)
Palmyra, PA 17078 81%3,301$93,135$305,700$190 cheaper homes ($96K less) · more single-family 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.