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.

Reset

Towns most like Bethel, AK 99559

Bethel: median income $113,333, home value $342,400, $291/sq ft, 10-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Barrow, AK 99723 90%734$115,313$311,400$213 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Kotzebue, AK 99752 84%423$110,357$288,400$196 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
Nome, AK 99762 82%281$113,558$353,800— smaller · more walkable
Kodiak, AK 99615 81%369$88,456$424,000$273 pricier homes ($82K more) · larger
Dillingham, AK 99576 78%165$99,125$288,400$180 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
Afton, WY 83110 71%2,422$86,731$381,100$250 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($39K more) · 6 min longer commute
Cordova, AK 99574 66%541$85,132$418,400— lower income ($28K less) · pricier homes ($76K more) · smaller
Exeter, CA 93221 65%2,507$86,940$360,900$269 lower income ($26K less) · larger · older residents
Valdez, AK 99686 65%498$99,349$312,200$155 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller · older residents
Quincy, WA 98848 64%1,899$87,714$357,500$281 lower income ($26K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Windsor, WI 53598 63%3,121$106,476$399,800$213 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller · older residents
Heyburn, ID 83336 63%2,336$71,191$298,800$219 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($44K less) · older residents
White Oak, TX 75693 61%3,516$102,146$222,400$164 cheaper homes ($120K less) · 10 min longer commute · more homeowners
Holtville, CA 92250 61%2,826$72,143$324,400$265 lower income ($41K less) · older residents · 10 min longer commute
Prosser, WA 99350 61%1,949$81,014$338,500$244 lower income ($32K less) · larger · 13 min longer commute
Seward, AK 99664 61%423$87,760$384,600$271 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
Henniker, NH 03242 60%3,683$95,206$356,700$258 11 min longer commute · more homeowners · more walkable
East Earl, PA 17519 60%3,718$96,250$330,400$196 older residents · 11 min longer commute · more homeowners
Leola, PA 17540 60%3,715$91,895$339,200$185 older residents · 12 min longer commute · more homeowners
Wanchese, NC 27981 60%3,969$88,750$311,800$185 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · older residents
Eagle Lake, MN 56024 60%2,921$95,357$285,600$162 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Ketchikan, AK 99901 60%1,149$92,885$393,300$287 pricier homes ($51K more) · larger · older residents
Paradise, PA 17562 59%3,724$108,462$390,600$212 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller · 14 min longer commute
Bowling Green, VA 22427 59%3,799$81,488$315,700$214 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Gordonville, PA 17529 58%3,721$80,050$362,100$232 lower income ($33K less) · smaller · 13 min longer commute

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.

From OfferBacked · Free

Get matched with a local agent.

Buying or selling around Columbus, OH? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.

Get matched