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 Apple Valley, CA 92307

Apple Valley: median income $77,106, home value $428,400, $244/sq ft, 41-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Front Royal, VA 22630 89%2,166$84,631$358,600$221 cheaper homes ($70K less) · older residents
Yelm, WA 98597 86%901$92,219$447,600$272 smaller
Tacoma, WA 98445 85%911$92,520$444,800$282 8 min shorter commute
Port Orchard, WA 98366 84%941$92,011$475,800$313 pricier homes ($47K more) · 8 min shorter commute
Kissimmee, FL 34744 83%2,145$74,537$356,000$212 cheaper homes ($72K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Spanaway, WA 98387 83%908$106,872$461,000$282 higher income ($30K more) · pricier homes ($33K more)
Stroudsburg, PA 18360 82%2,313$71,481$312,900$197 cheaper homes ($116K less) · older residents
Shelton, WA 98584 82%928$78,610$393,000$299 cheaper homes ($35K less) · older residents · 8 min shorter commute
Culpeper, VA 22701 81%2,179$97,892$396,800$246 cheaper homes ($32K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Wasilla, AK 99623 81%2,343$88,799$326,000$267 cheaper homes ($102K less) · smaller · newer homes
Miami, FL 33170 80%2,270$73,958$474,400$337 pricier homes ($46K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Kissimmee, FL 34758 80%2,141$66,339$309,100$173 cheaper homes ($119K less) · newer homes
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 79%2,316$90,522$275,600$189 cheaper homes ($153K less) · older residents
Suffolk, VA 23434 79%2,269$79,877$313,500$197 cheaper homes ($115K less) · 10 min shorter commute
Angier, NC 27501 79%2,165$73,336$272,800$163 cheaper homes ($156K less) · smaller
Covington, GA 30014 79%1,903$72,254$293,400$164 cheaper homes ($135K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Monroe, GA 30655 79%1,908$69,148$326,800$197 cheaper homes ($102K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Deltona, FL 32738 79%2,141$80,224$286,300$206 cheaper homes ($142K less) · more single-family homes
Wasilla, AK 99654 79%2,340$97,544$363,300$254 cheaper homes ($65K less) · 7 min shorter commute · less walkable
Taneytown, MD 21787 78%2,217$91,682$355,000$208 cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Hayes, VA 23072 78%2,269$74,559$311,500$224 cheaper homes ($117K less) · smaller · older residents
Monroe, NC 28110 78%2,070$83,480$342,600$205 cheaper homes ($86K less) · 9 min shorter commute · less walkable
Miami, FL 33177 78%2,272$82,682$444,200$383 older residents · more walkable
Cape Coral, FL 33909 78%2,154$73,053$324,100$202 cheaper homes ($104K less) · 9 min shorter commute · newer homes
Fort Lupton, CO 80621 78%782$90,055$463,200$240 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller · 9 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.