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 Idyllwild, CA 92549

Idyllwild: median income $73,750, home value $532,300, $340/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Idaho Springs, CO 80452 89%741$75,565$449,300$344 cheaper homes ($83K less) · more homeowners
Great Barrington, MA 01230 87%2,405$86,694$527,300$378 larger
New Buffalo, MI 49117 87%1,719$75,114$488,000$351 cheaper homes ($44K less) · older residents
Paonia, CO 81428 87%619$75,799$432,700$279 cheaper homes ($100K less)
Germantown, NY 12526 86%2,380$97,679$485,000$361 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Williams Bay, WI 53191 86%1,638$75,833$414,600$282 cheaper homes ($118K less)
West Yarmouth, MA 02673 85%2,567$73,854$502,200$411 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
Meredith, NH 03253 85%2,499$84,719$482,700$354 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger · older residents
Hillsdale, NY 12529 84%2,396$70,750$384,600$334 cheaper homes ($148K less) · smaller · older residents
Camden, ME 04843 83%2,620$82,344$520,600$375 Very close on everything we compare
Vergennes, VT 05491 83%2,412$87,917$337,400$286 cheaper homes ($195K less)
Stanfordville, NY 12581 83%2,389$80,640$412,200$314 cheaper homes ($120K less) · smaller
Cascade, ID 83611 82%760$77,411$429,400$335 cheaper homes ($103K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Aurora, OR 97002 82%858$70,137$530,100$339 larger
Jacksonville, OR 97530 82%677$89,239$617,400$313 pricier homes ($85K more) · larger · newer homes
Eliot, ME 03903 81%2,536$101,522$498,900$363 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Rockfall, CT 06481 81%2,440$84,674$360,400$272 cheaper homes ($172K less) · smaller · older homes
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 81%2,314$86,193$437,500$368 cheaper homes ($95K less) · larger · newer homes
Livingston, MT 59047 81%886$71,620$456,800$325 cheaper homes ($76K less) · larger
Red Lodge, MT 59068 81%885$80,962$438,700$366 cheaper homes ($94K less) · older residents
South Yarmouth, MA 02664 80%2,569$82,125$551,400$474 larger · older residents
South Dartmouth, MA 02748 80%2,529$97,361$521,800$377 larger
Pawcatuck, CT 06379 80%2,485$95,066$406,100$286 cheaper homes ($126K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Deep River, CT 06417 80%2,454$90,253$362,200$286 cheaper homes ($170K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Washington Depot, CT 06794 80%2,408$96,979$733,100$431 pricier homes ($201K more) · smaller

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.