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 Pauma Valley, CA 92061

Pauma Valley: median income $92,813, home value $858,300, $327/sq ft, 40-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Union Hall, VA 24176 87%2,108$98,250$627,000$332 cheaper homes ($231K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Indianola, WA 98342 86%1,039$102,778$698,500$414 cheaper homes ($160K less) · more walkable
Reno, NV 89510 83%470$100,282$602,200$386 cheaper homes ($256K less) · younger residents
Anderson Island, WA 98303 83%1,003$80,282$546,300$302 cheaper homes ($312K less)
Marine On Saint Croix, MN 55047 81%1,521$107,361$497,900$331 cheaper homes ($360K less)
Bellvue, CO 80512 81%819$97,837$625,000$309 cheaper homes ($233K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Black Hawk, CO 80422 79%779$95,625$588,800$342 cheaper homes ($270K less) · larger · younger residents
Hansville, WA 98340 79%1,050$79,876$569,700$414 cheaper homes ($289K less) · larger · older residents
Kewadin, MI 49648 78%1,861$93,272$633,500$414 cheaper homes ($225K less) · larger · 11 min shorter commute
Weems, VA 22576 77%2,282$104,948$414,000$264 cheaper homes ($444K less)
Rhododendron, OR 97049 77%873$92,056$474,200$284 cheaper homes ($384K less) · older homes
Boyce, VA 22620 76%2,191$99,896$539,300$224 cheaper homes ($319K less) · larger · younger residents
Pine, CO 80470 76%771$135,682$681,300$304 higher income ($43K more) · cheaper homes ($177K less) · larger
Cocolalla, ID 83813 76%1,024$90,156$788,600$353 cheaper homes ($70K less) · 6 min longer commute
Freeland, WA 98249 76%1,058$99,519$627,400$404 cheaper homes ($231K less) · larger · 10 min shorter commute
Roxbury, CT 06783 75%2,435$123,864$714,500$345 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($144K less)
Hunt, TX 78024 75%1,052$105,381$500,000$288 cheaper homes ($358K less) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Sedalia, CO 80135 75%780$136,083$880,500$312 higher income ($43K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Hesperus, CO 81326 75%565$80,089$558,600$413 cheaper homes ($300K less) · larger · younger residents
Point Roberts, WA 98281 75%1,128$78,125$483,900$270 cheaper homes ($374K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Valleyford, WA 99036 75%983$121,518$647,300$262 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($211K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Kintnersville, PA 18930 74%2,337$127,072$524,000$253 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($334K less)
Henrico, NC 27842 74%2,212$91,202$490,600$317 cheaper homes ($368K less) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Lake Lure, NC 28746 74%1,979$70,469$470,700$313 cheaper homes ($388K less) · larger
Port Ludlow, WA 98365 74%1,053$98,776$673,800$355 cheaper homes ($185K less) · larger · 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.