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 Gardnerville, NV 89460

Gardnerville: median income $92,292, home value $501,700, $368/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Westport, MA 02790 94%2,537$97,250$507,900$350 older homes
Auburn, CA 95602 92%74$97,466$688,500$339 pricier homes ($187K more)
Colfax, CA 95713 92%67$87,839$487,000$312 smaller
Carver, MA 02330 91%2,549$91,250$434,200$357 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Stevensville, MT 59870 91%599$80,325$515,600$354 Very close on everything we compare
Grass Valley, CA 95949 90%75$98,181$550,800$302 pricier homes ($49K more) · older residents
Terrebonne, OR 97760 89%386$87,603$486,700$359 smaller
Gig Harbor, WA 98329 89%603$110,316$518,700$356 younger residents
Kennebunkport, ME 04046 88%2,544$102,529$586,100$434 pricier homes ($84K more) · smaller
Buxton, ME 04093 88%2,538$100,144$356,800$332 cheaper homes ($145K less) · smaller
Tuckerton, NJ 08087 88%2,401$91,677$352,000$276 cheaper homes ($150K less) · larger
Forked River, NJ 08731 88%2,406$98,582$404,200$330 cheaper homes ($98K less)
Waterford, WI 53185 88%1,660$103,225$384,600$246 cheaper homes ($117K less)
Placerville, CA 95667 88%60$89,938$547,600$316 pricier homes ($46K more) · larger
Keaau, HI 96749 88%2,487$85,399$442,200$361 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Barnegat, NJ 08005 87%2,405$93,584$395,800$267 cheaper homes ($106K less) · larger
Street, MD 21154 87%2,296$97,658$455,400$257 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Hayden, ID 83835 87%632$91,316$562,000$337 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
El Dorado, CA 95623 87%64$109,102$601,800$335 pricier homes ($100K more) · smaller
Pollock Pines, CA 95726 87%45$91,128$424,200$259 cheaper homes ($78K less) · smaller
Acushnet, MA 02743 86%2,545$89,593$434,000$288 cheaper homes ($68K less) · older homes
Alfred, ME 04002 86%2,531$84,537$352,100$293 cheaper homes ($150K less) · smaller
Bayville, NJ 08721 86%2,407$105,273$383,900$329 cheaper homes ($118K less) · larger
Priest River, ID 83856 86%654$75,285$427,900$333 cheaper homes ($74K less) · smaller
Captain Cook, HI 96704 86%2,538$86,941$662,200$294 pricier homes ($161K more) · smaller · less walkable

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.