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 Douglas, AK 99824

Douglas: median income $92,188, home value $406,500, $343/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
West Lebanon, NH 03784 83%2,769$91,000$371,500$284 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger
Thorndale, PA 19372 78%2,823$115,438$337,000$248 cheaper homes ($70K less) · 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Port Royal, SC 29935 77%3,045$76,544$263,700$351 cheaper homes ($143K less) · larger · newer homes
Manville, RI 02838 75%2,880$97,273$372,300$219 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Guilderland, NY 12084 72%2,757$91,063$348,600$219 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger · more renters
Horsham, PA 19044 72%2,836$88,173$402,400$297 larger
Lebanon, NH 03766 71%2,771$100,881$395,600$270 larger · 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Mont Clare, PA 19453 71%2,825$80,583$270,600$244 cheaper homes ($136K less) · smaller · older residents
Saint Paul, MN 55121 71%1,958$87,152$301,400$195 cheaper homes ($105K less) · larger · newer homes
Sunderland, MA 01375 70%2,817$68,083$458,100$301 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Newmarket, NH 03857 70%2,845$100,845$455,000$322 pricier homes ($49K more) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Des Moines, IA 50321 69%2,102$80,351$320,500$212 cheaper homes ($86K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Savage, MD 20763 68%2,828$76,842$419,200$234 7 min longer commute · more walkable · older homes
Eden Prairie, MN 55344 68%1,947$89,565$363,500$217 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger · newer homes
Fraser, CO 80442 68%1,784$108,387$773,000$512 pricier homes ($367K more) · more homeowners
Raritan, NJ 08869 67%2,835$107,672$456,900$350 pricier homes ($50K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Bridgeport, PA 19405 66%2,833$83,859$336,400$226 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger · younger residents
Newport News, VA 23603 66%2,936$88,246$293,300$189 cheaper homes ($113K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Chattanooga, TN 37405 66%2,735$81,337$460,600$297 pricier homes ($54K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Winooski, VT 05404 65%2,697$79,522$381,500$280 cheaper homes ($25K less) · larger · more renters
Cockeysville, MD 21030 65%2,815$89,015$450,700$233 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger
Saint Paul, MN 55120 65%1,957$116,346$515,600$249 pricier homes ($109K more) · larger · more homeowners
Schaumburg, IL 60195 64%2,272$90,174$319,300$243 cheaper homes ($87K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Lincoln, NH 03251 63%2,772$70,625$342,000$364 cheaper homes ($65K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Helmetta, NJ 08828 63%2,852$98,952$355,000$311 cheaper homes ($52K less) · 13 min longer commute · 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.