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 Spring Valley, CA 91977

Spring Valley: median income $99,657, home value $665,600, $527/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Everett, WA 98208 89%1,083$103,705$691,500$388 pricier homes ($26K more) · newer homes
Everett, WA 98203 88%1,086$107,376$608,600$359 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller
Kent, WA 98031 87%1,049$105,965$611,600$349 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
Pearl City, HI 96782 86%2,621$108,669$874,200$603 pricier homes ($209K more) · smaller · older residents
Seattle, WA 98146 86%1,059$102,520$679,500$451 smaller
Seattle, WA 98108 85%1,061$95,780$720,400$423 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98168 85%1,057$88,083$548,000$369 cheaper homes ($118K less) · smaller
Methuen, MA 01844 84%2,564$113,212$499,800$341 cheaper homes ($166K less)
Waipahu, HI 96797 84%2,624$114,654$826,300$635 pricier homes ($161K more) · older residents
Seattle, WA 98198 84%1,051$86,239$589,500$361 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller
Amityville, NY 11701 83%2,450$117,033$499,500$442 cheaper homes ($166K less) · smaller · older residents
Honolulu, HI 96819 83%2,618$99,848$954,600$477 pricier homes ($289K more) · more renters
Lynnwood, WA 98036 83%1,078$88,958$759,900$437 pricier homes ($94K more)
Lynnwood, WA 98037 83%1,080$107,281$767,300$393 pricier homes ($102K more) · smaller
Federal Way, WA 98023 82%1,046$104,893$589,900$320 cheaper homes ($76K less) · 6 min longer commute
Lakewood, WA 98498 82%1,039$91,664$506,300$324 cheaper homes ($159K less) · smaller · older residents
Peabody, MA 01960 81%2,575$96,501$596,700$406 cheaper homes ($69K less) · older residents
Miami, FL 33176 81%2,251$86,354$638,900$426 cheaper homes ($27K less) · older residents
Attleboro, MA 02703 80%2,558$99,152$448,800$316 cheaper homes ($217K less)
Bay Shore, NY 11706 80%2,459$119,603$494,300$426 cheaper homes ($171K less) · less walkable
Patchogue, NY 11772 80%2,472$105,245$474,800$400 cheaper homes ($191K less) · older residents · less walkable
Beaverton, OR 97078 80%932$90,606$478,800$318 cheaper homes ($187K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98178 80%1,057$99,505$660,400$367 smaller · older homes
Bremerton, WA 98312 80%1,069$90,449$473,100$290 cheaper homes ($193K less) · smaller
Saugus, MA 01906 79%2,573$101,539$603,400$393 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller · older residents

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.