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 Boulevard, CA 91905

Boulevard: median income $77,886, home value $394,400, $326/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Merlin, OR 97532 95%784$81,167$445,400$281 pricier homes ($51K more) · larger
Hillman, MN 56338 92%1,505$70,938$289,600$295 cheaper homes ($105K less)
Elliottsburg, PA 17024 91%2,211$79,292$295,100$308 cheaper homes ($99K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Bentonville, VA 22610 90%2,159$81,500$337,700$246 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Pleasant Mount, PA 18453 89%2,314$85,110$325,000$260 cheaper homes ($69K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Acton, ME 04001 87%2,545$78,750$334,300$388 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger
Goldsboro, MD 21636 87%2,292$73,426$320,000$263 cheaper homes ($74K less) · smaller · younger residents
Effingham, NH 03882 86%2,543$76,607$322,700$294 cheaper homes ($72K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Limington, ME 04049 86%2,558$84,675$295,600$257 cheaper homes ($99K less) · larger
Bath, NC 27808 86%2,257$90,472$372,500$295 7 min shorter commute
Zumbro Falls, MN 55991 86%1,511$82,292$350,000$270 cheaper homes ($44K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Thornton, TX 76687 86%1,162$73,323$254,500$326 cheaper homes ($140K less)
McCammon, ID 83250 86%724$73,555$322,000$217 cheaper homes ($72K less) · younger residents
Horseshoe Bend, ID 83629 86%777$72,500$398,000$296 older residents
Toledo, WA 98591 86%1,012$78,952$471,100$324 pricier homes ($77K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Vader, WA 98593 86%1,011$84,244$343,800$273 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Bushwood, MD 20618 85%2,240$105,508$355,000$290 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($39K less)
Milton, TN 37118 85%1,728$74,592$478,300$318 pricier homes ($84K more) · smaller
Finlayson, MN 55735 85%1,549$63,827$271,200$284 cheaper homes ($123K less)
Townsend, MT 59644 85%978$68,811$361,500$300 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Greenfield, NH 03047 84%2,496$103,603$350,300$298 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($44K less)
Danbury, NH 03230 84%2,498$71,685$240,700$272 cheaper homes ($154K less)
Tafton, PA 18464 84%2,324$77,277$312,600$253 cheaper homes ($82K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Grey Eagle, MN 56336 84%1,461$82,679$331,400$396 cheaper homes ($63K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Oakville, WA 98568 84%1,045$84,531$426,200$315 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger · 7 min shorter 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.