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 Thousand Palms, CA 92276

Thousand Palms: median income $77,000, home value $268,700, $286/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Grand Rapids, MI 49544 89%1,765$74,390$264,000$218 Very close on everything we compare
Absecon, NJ 08201 87%2,333$71,321$287,000$226 Very close on everything we compare
Madras, OR 97741 85%790$70,983$334,800$247 pricier homes ($66K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Hermiston, OR 97838 85%846$69,599$306,500$236 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger
Rochester, NH 03868 84%2,508$81,530$268,800$265 older residents · less walkable
East Grand Forks, MN 56721 84%1,398$82,525$259,300$235 more single-family homes
Belle Fourche, SD 57717 84%1,004$77,689$249,200$180 Very close on everything we compare
Umatilla, OR 97882 84%850$69,223$244,800$232 less walkable
Yakima, WA 98903 84%909$75,343$287,400$269 larger · more single-family homes
Perryville, MD 21903 83%2,250$78,962$299,300$207 pricier homes ($31K more) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Comstock Park, MI 49321 83%1,767$77,870$274,400$203 larger · less walkable
Des Moines, IA 50320 83%1,351$85,105$216,900$205 cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger
Crest Hill, IL 60403 83%1,627$73,074$233,200$195 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Forks, WA 98331 83%1,061$62,135$230,500$277 cheaper homes ($38K less) · older residents
Suncook, NH 03275 82%2,484$82,910$336,500$284 pricier homes ($68K more) · larger · less walkable
Saint Albans, VT 05478 82%2,404$71,203$316,400$224 pricier homes ($48K more) · larger
Mantua, NJ 08051 82%2,296$92,071$267,200$237 larger
Akron, PA 17501 82%2,240$78,182$258,900$199 smaller · older homes
Brookhaven, PA 19015 82%2,284$82,450$246,700$238 larger · older homes
Minneapolis, MN 55433 82%1,450$78,054$296,900$191 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger
Fruitland, ID 83619 82%705$66,267$348,300$254 pricier homes ($80K more) · more single-family homes
Sun Valley, NV 89433 82%442$75,984$349,100$286 pricier homes ($80K more) · larger
Stayton, OR 97383 82%832$78,853$423,600$288 pricier homes ($155K more) · more single-family homes
White City, OR 97503 82%691$70,263$327,500$256 pricier homes ($59K more) · larger
Rochester, NH 03839 81%2,506$88,346$335,600$288 pricier homes ($67K 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.