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 Barrow, AK 99723

Barrow: median income $115,313, home value $311,400, $213/sq ft, 10-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Kotzebue, AK 99752 94%332$110,357$288,400$196 smaller
Bethel, AK 99559 90%734$113,333$342,400$291 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger
Nome, AK 99762 85%515$113,558$353,800— pricier homes ($42K more)
Dillingham, AK 99576 81%844$99,125$288,400$180 smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Kodiak, AK 99615 73%947$88,456$424,000$273 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($113K more) · larger
Valdez, AK 99686 73%751$99,349$312,200$155 more homeowners
White Oak, TX 75693 70%3,486$102,146$222,400$164 cheaper homes ($89K less) · 9 min longer commute · more homeowners
Afton, WY 83110 67%2,502$86,731$381,100$250 lower income ($29K less) · pricier homes ($70K more) · 5 min longer commute
Cordova, AK 99574 66%799$85,132$418,400— lower income ($30K less) · pricier homes ($107K more) · smaller
Unalaska, AK 99685 66%1,234$135,759$462,400— pricier homes ($151K more) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Stanley, ND 58784 64%2,329$116,616$258,600$118 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Heyburn, ID 83336 64%2,457$71,191$298,800$219 lower income ($44K less) · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners
East Earl, PA 17519 63%3,419$96,250$330,400$196 11 min longer commute · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Holtville, CA 92250 63%3,061$72,143$324,400$265 lower income ($43K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Exeter, CA 93221 63%2,766$86,940$360,900$269 lower income ($28K less) · pricier homes ($50K more) · larger
Little Chute, WI 54140 62%2,888$82,472$227,000$168 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($84K less) · larger
Leola, PA 17540 61%3,418$91,895$339,200$185 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger · 12 min longer commute
Eagle Lake, MN 56024 61%2,773$95,357$285,600$162 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 8 min longer commute · more homeowners
Quincy, WA 98848 61%2,046$87,714$357,500$281 lower income ($28K less) · pricier homes ($46K more) · larger
Ketchikan, AK 99901 61%1,324$92,885$393,300$287 pricier homes ($82K more) · larger · older residents
Gordonville, PA 17529 60%3,423$80,050$362,100$232 lower income ($35K less) · pricier homes ($51K more) · younger residents
Bowling Green, VA 22427 60%3,527$81,488$315,700$214 lower income ($34K less) · 14 min longer commute · more homeowners
Wanchese, NC 27981 60%3,697$88,750$311,800$185 lower income ($27K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Arcadia, WI 54612 59%2,820$77,647$196,400$156 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($115K less) · more homeowners
Lincoln, NE 68524 59%2,915$81,045$234,600$168 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($77K less) · 10 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.

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