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 Lake Elsinore, CA 92530

Lake Elsinore: median income $86,862, home value $502,200, $310/sq ft, 43-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Waianae, HI 96792 87%2,621$87,509$569,400$441 pricier homes ($67K more) · older homes
Spanaway, WA 98387 84%964$106,872$461,000$282 cheaper homes ($41K less) · less walkable
Port Orchard, WA 98366 80%997$92,011$475,800$313 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Tacoma, WA 98445 80%967$92,520$444,800$282 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller · older residents
Miami, FL 33177 79%2,275$82,682$444,200$383 cheaper homes ($58K less) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Miami, FL 33170 77%2,273$73,958$474,400$337 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller · older residents
Yelm, WA 98597 77%956$92,219$447,600$272 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Puyallup, WA 98374 76%966$112,662$535,300$284 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($33K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Tacoma, WA 98404 76%973$82,191$413,900$318 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Marysville, WA 98270 74%1,026$108,147$579,900$362 pricier homes ($78K more) · older residents · 11 min shorter commute
Wasilla, AK 99623 74%2,394$88,799$326,000$267 cheaper homes ($176K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Kissimmee, FL 34744 73%2,152$74,537$356,000$212 cheaper homes ($146K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Brighton, CO 80601 72%818$105,417$497,700$214 11 min shorter commute
Molalla, OR 97038 72%839$89,564$483,500$314 smaller · 13 min shorter commute
Marysville, WA 98271 72%1,029$95,654$538,400$380 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller · older residents
Manassas, VA 20111 71%2,234$113,879$476,000$258 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Culpeper, VA 22701 71%2,206$97,892$396,800$246 cheaper homes ($105K less) · smaller · older residents
Homestead, FL 33033 71%2,276$69,635$399,300$264 cheaper homes ($103K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Glendale, AZ 85303 71%296$80,650$333,600$240 cheaper homes ($169K less) · smaller · 12 min shorter commute
Arlington, WA 98223 71%1,033$99,681$601,400$389 pricier homes ($99K more) · older residents · 9 min shorter commute
Puyallup, WA 98371 71%971$97,242$556,800$323 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller · older residents
Puyallup, WA 98375 71%965$117,074$522,100$263 higher income ($30K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Woodbridge, VA 22193 70%2,240$117,337$444,800$264 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($57K less) · more homeowners
Front Royal, VA 22630 70%2,194$84,631$358,600$221 cheaper homes ($144K less) · smaller · older residents
Wasilla, AK 99654 70%2,391$97,544$363,300$254 cheaper homes ($139K less) · 9 min shorter commute · 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.