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 Payette, ID 83661

Payette: median income $59,351, home value $302,300, $250/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Willows, CA 95988 95%417$66,339$297,200$241 Very close on everything we compare
Orland, CA 95963 93%407$68,091$372,900$259 pricier homes ($71K more)
Gridley, CA 95948 92%409$60,294$354,100$245 pricier homes ($52K more)
Oroville, CA 95965 92%391$53,198$308,500$240 larger
Colusa, CA 95932 90%426$66,964$389,600$243 pricier homes ($87K more)
Corning, CA 96021 90%394$59,592$314,000$246 Very close on everything we compare
Mount Pleasant, TN 38474 89%1,673$59,724$247,000$223 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Anderson, CA 96007 89%373$61,357$309,700$256 larger
Timberville, VA 22853 88%1,995$67,083$245,800$248 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller
South Pittsburg, TN 37380 88%1,763$59,304$194,500$218 cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller
Fort Morgan, CO 80701 88%721$70,302$347,600$189 pricier homes ($45K more)
Lindsay, CA 93247 88%556$60,361$295,700$253 larger · younger residents
Woodlake, CA 93286 88%541$47,574$339,700$255 pricier homes ($37K more)
Jamestown, CA 95327 88%466$68,040$372,300$270 pricier homes ($70K more)
Oroville, CA 95966 88%394$65,586$333,100$228 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · older residents
Los Molinos, CA 96055 88%385$59,798$305,200$194 smaller
Vale, OR 97918 88%18$63,342$298,100$219 smaller
Centralia, WA 98531 88%346$63,406$343,000$250 pricier homes ($41K more) · larger
Quarryville, PA 17566 87%2,092$78,108$306,200$233 Very close on everything we compare
Hopewell, VA 23860 87%2,107$62,141$206,500$195 cheaper homes ($96K less) · larger
Commerce, GA 30529 87%1,903$62,168$242,500$186 cheaper homes ($60K less) · newer homes
Franklin, KY 42134 87%1,665$59,113$226,800$169 cheaper homes ($76K less) · larger
Watertown, WI 53098 87%1,404$74,431$253,600$216 cheaper homes ($49K less) · older residents
Sturgis, SD 57785 87%671$63,897$296,100$221 Very close on everything we compare
Delta, CO 81416 87%589$50,243$319,400$262 Very close on everything we compare

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.