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 Phelan, CA 92371

Phelan: median income $78,986, home value $387,000, $256/sq ft, 48-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Spring Creek, NV 89815 80%448$102,926$351,100$228 cheaper homes ($36K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Ruther Glen, VA 22546 78%2,229$89,247$301,100$215 cheaper homes ($86K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Wasilla, AK 99623 78%2,341$88,799$326,000$267 cheaper homes ($61K less) · 9 min shorter commute · newer homes
Lehigh Acres, FL 33974 76%2,194$72,192$312,600$196 cheaper homes ($74K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Springtown, TX 76082 76%1,143$92,485$306,000$200 cheaper homes ($81K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Gold Bar, WA 98251 76%949$83,891$448,900$398 pricier homes ($62K more) · smaller · older residents
Indian Head, MD 20640 75%2,241$100,593$324,600$196 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller · older homes
Ridgely, MD 21660 75%2,307$80,469$359,300$255 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Lehigh Acres, FL 33972 75%2,191$73,819$320,600$207 cheaper homes ($66K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Concrete, WA 98237 75%996$61,711$377,700$285 smaller · older residents
Angier, NC 27501 74%2,184$73,336$272,800$163 cheaper homes ($114K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Ridgeville, SC 29472 74%2,127$75,325$263,100$182 cheaper homes ($124K less) · smaller · older residents
Temple, GA 30179 74%1,852$76,571$249,000$165 cheaper homes ($138K less) · 9 min shorter commute
White Bluff, TN 37187 74%1,706$76,228$300,800$224 cheaper homes ($86K less) · smaller · older residents
Calhan, CO 80808 74%792$85,500$411,100$235 smaller · older residents · 9 min shorter commute
Tonopah, AZ 85354 74%271$64,203$330,800$231 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Yelm, WA 98597 74%901$92,219$447,600$272 pricier homes ($61K more) · 11 min shorter commute
Yacolt, WA 98675 74%830$99,877$560,800$336 pricier homes ($174K more) · smaller
Elk, WA 99009 74%938$81,809$427,200$276 pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller · older residents
Kissimmee, FL 34758 73%2,158$66,339$309,100$173 cheaper homes ($78K less) · larger · newer homes
Hartsville, TN 37074 73%1,763$71,914$329,600$214 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller · 12 min shorter commute
Seagoville, TX 75159 73%1,211$72,897$234,300$156 cheaper homes ($153K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Bealeton, VA 22712 72%2,210$103,618$412,900$248 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Graham, WA 98338 72%904$114,819$509,600$302 higher income ($36K more) · pricier homes ($123K more) · larger
Spanaway, WA 98387 72%909$106,872$461,000$282 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($74K more) · larger

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.