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 Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

Big Bear Lake: median income $77,436, home value $590,000, $375/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Carson City, NV 89703 81%376$85,230$626,500$330 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger · older residents
West Yarmouth, MA 02673 80%2,562$73,854$502,200$411 cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger · more homeowners
Bellevue, ID 83313 79%652$74,575$578,000$516 less walkable · newer homes
Seaside, OR 97138 78%892$60,411$483,800$387 cheaper homes ($106K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Suquamish, WA 98392 78%978$85,530$452,400$367 cheaper homes ($138K less) · smaller · less walkable
Livingston, MT 59047 77%857$71,620$456,800$325 cheaper homes ($133K less) · larger · less walkable
Gladstone, OR 97027 77%827$94,375$484,200$285 cheaper homes ($106K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Buzzards Bay, MA 02532 76%2,543$87,773$497,600$374 cheaper homes ($92K less) · larger · older residents
Dennis Port, MA 02639 76%2,567$72,567$514,200$667 cheaper homes ($76K less) · older homes
South Yarmouth, MA 02664 76%2,564$82,125$551,400$474 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger · older residents
Port Hadlock, WA 98339 76%1,000$77,778$409,800$350 cheaper homes ($180K less) · 5 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Missoula, MT 59804 75%883$76,266$588,400$351 larger · 7 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Portland, OR 97267 75%828$87,418$533,400$295 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger
Lincoln City, OR 97367 75%828$58,472$424,300$350 cheaper homes ($166K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Great Barrington, MA 01230 74%2,400$86,694$527,300$378 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger · less walkable
Welches, OR 97067 74%812$87,794$387,500$324 cheaper homes ($203K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Junction City, OR 97448 74%767$81,029$478,700$288 cheaper homes ($111K less) · larger · younger residents
Vancouver, WA 98663 73%845$86,018$450,300$299 cheaper homes ($140K less) · larger · younger residents
Deep River, CT 06417 72%2,449$90,253$362,200$286 cheaper homes ($228K less) · less walkable
Aurora, OR 97002 72%821$70,137$530,100$339 cheaper homes ($60K less) · more homeowners · less walkable
Ivoryton, CT 06442 71%2,450$104,358$468,200$297 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($122K less) · smaller
Middlesex, NJ 08846 71%2,345$105,000$446,400$378 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($144K less) · larger
Fairless Hills, PA 19030 71%2,328$96,603$376,200$270 cheaper homes ($214K less) · larger · older homes
Sarasota, FL 34239 71%2,086$80,923$475,700$371 cheaper homes ($114K less) · larger · older residents
Boulder City, NV 89005 71%168$74,375$435,600$289 cheaper homes ($154K 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.