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 Boise, ID 83709

Boise: median income $92,786, home value $474,000, $286/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bakersfield, CA 93312 91%585$114,195$440,400$242 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Greenacres, WA 99016 91%285$103,472$477,400$263 smaller
Saint George, UT 84790 90%471$91,054$552,700$258 pricier homes ($79K more)
Indio, CA 92203 89%679$97,311$553,700$263 pricier homes ($80K more) · smaller
Clovis, CA 93611 89%499$110,982$485,900$270 Very close on everything we compare
Albany, OR 97321 89%347$99,416$473,100$267 smaller
Redmond, OR 97756 88%248$87,278$489,900$318 more renters
Olympia, WA 98513 88%392$113,053$470,700$296 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Kennewick, WA 99338 88%230$111,042$551,500$275 pricier homes ($78K more) · smaller
Chesapeake, VA 23323 87%2,140$108,730$388,300$222 cheaper homes ($86K less) · 5 min longer commute
Ogden, UT 84414 87%270$114,833$488,600$221 smaller
Henderson, NV 89002 87%528$105,471$448,900$238 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Lakeland, FL 33813 86%2,185$99,497$366,300$202 cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller
Helena, MT 59602 86%302$92,985$408,600$270 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller · less walkable
Payson, UT 84651 86%339$96,999$459,300$211 smaller · younger residents
Washington, UT 84780 86%468$91,963$570,800$279 pricier homes ($97K more) · smaller
Glendale, AZ 85308 86%720$95,247$458,100$261 Very close on everything we compare
Bakersfield, CA 93311 86%591$116,263$459,500$248 Very close on everything we compare
Kennewick, WA 99337 86%228$98,848$395,500$225 cheaper homes ($79K less) · smaller
Traverse City, MI 49685 85%1,515$84,590$358,500$261 cheaper homes ($116K less) · smaller
Fruita, CO 81521 85%497$88,458$422,900$294 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller · older residents
Gilbert, AZ 85233 85%747$111,160$513,000$290 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Las Vegas, NV 89129 85%509$89,798$448,800$246 cheaper homes ($25K less) · 6 min longer commute
Las Vegas, NV 89139 85%526$99,815$488,300$237 more renters
Las Vegas, NV 89149 85%507$101,697$512,700$243 pricier homes ($39K more) · 6 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.