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 Nashville, TN 37218

Nashville: median income $61,919, home value $349,900, $261/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Madras, OR 97741 93%1,879$70,983$334,800$247 Very close on everything we compare
Fortuna, CA 95540 92%2,027$63,695$389,500$266 pricier homes ($40K more)
Saint Albans, VT 05478 91%934$71,203$316,400$224 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Sturgis, SD 57785 91%1,034$63,897$296,100$221 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Red Bluff, CA 96080 91%1,929$66,076$343,700$232 larger
Spokane, WA 99217 91%1,738$73,620$377,400$232 pricier homes ($28K more)
Orland, CA 95963 90%1,931$68,091$372,900$259 Very close on everything we compare
Milford, DE 19963 89%652$71,108$322,500$221 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger · newer homes
Waynesboro, VA 22980 89%456$63,943$268,100$198 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger
Savannah, GA 31406 89%439$67,120$283,300$217 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger
Mountain Home, ID 83647 89%1,598$63,760$320,400$225 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
Centralia, WA 98531 89%1,985$63,406$343,000$250 larger
Spokane, WA 99212 89%1,739$67,049$361,500$211 Very close on everything we compare
Durham, NC 27704 88%445$69,668$311,500$205 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger
Livingston, MT 59047 88%1,392$71,620$456,800$325 pricier homes ($107K more) · older residents
Delta, CO 81416 88%1,174$50,243$319,400$262 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Yucca Valley, CA 92284 88%1,670$58,373$354,300$261 larger · 6 min longer commute
Colusa, CA 95932 88%1,922$66,964$389,600$243 pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller
Tillamook, OR 97141 88%2,015$69,831$398,100$335 pricier homes ($48K more)
Stayton, OR 97383 88%1,960$78,853$423,600$288 pricier homes ($74K more)
Sylva, NC 28779 87%213$57,727$243,700$232 cheaper homes ($106K less)
Brandon, FL 33510 87%629$74,245$328,200$216 larger
Newport, MN 55055 87%680$71,979$378,100$245 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Dillon, MT 59725 87%1,479$61,335$311,400$201 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Powell, WY 82435 87%1,289$67,534$362,700$233 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.