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 Payson, UT 84651

Payson: median income $96,999, home value $459,300, $211/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bakersfield, CA 93312 89%516$114,195$440,400$242 larger
Bakersfield, CA 93313 89%517$91,943$371,900$237 cheaper homes ($87K less) · larger
Nampa, ID 83686 88%347$86,518$430,200$259 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger
North Las Vegas, NV 89084 88%319$96,988$454,400$232 older residents
Henderson, NV 89002 87%330$105,471$448,900$238 older residents
Chesapeake, VA 23323 86%1,917$108,730$388,300$222 cheaper homes ($71K less) · older residents
Colorado Springs, CO 80922 86%383$108,019$446,400$201 more renters
Boise, ID 83709 86%339$92,786$474,000$286 larger · older residents
Laveen, AZ 85339 86%464$110,602$441,600$229 larger · more single-family homes
Kennewick, WA 99337 86%565$98,848$395,500$225 cheaper homes ($64K less) · older residents
Nampa, ID 83687 85%348$76,682$403,600$250 cheaper homes ($56K less) · more renters
Greenacres, WA 99016 85%591$103,472$477,400$263 older residents
West Richland, WA 99353 85%579$121,845$450,500$271 smaller · older residents
Commerce City, CO 80022 84%362$104,396$485,100$221 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Fountain, CO 80817 84%387$86,543$400,100$198 cheaper homes ($59K less) · less walkable
Olympia, WA 98513 84%730$113,053$470,700$296 older residents
Denver, CO 80249 83%370$100,324$468,600$249 more walkable
Caldwell, ID 83607 83%357$85,399$426,700$250 cheaper homes ($33K less) · less walkable
North Las Vegas, NV 89081 83%319$91,733$420,500$211 cheaper homes ($39K less) · more renters
Bakersfield, CA 93311 83%519$116,263$459,500$248 larger · more renters
Kennewick, WA 99338 83%568$111,042$551,500$275 pricier homes ($92K more) · older residents
Camden Wyoming, DE 19934 82%1,912$87,125$336,300$180 cheaper homes ($123K less) · smaller · older residents
Clermont, FL 34715 82%1,873$105,262$437,800$220 older residents · 6 min longer commute
Walton, KY 41094 82%1,442$96,515$293,700$185 cheaper homes ($166K less) · smaller · less walkable
Gardner, KS 66030 82%900$97,822$313,100$200 cheaper homes ($146K less) · more renters

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.