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.

Reset

Towns most like Bodfish, CA 93205

Bodfish: median income $39,590, home value $143,100, $183/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Garysburg, NC 27831 81%2,269$36,136$87,300— cheaper homes ($56K less) · less walkable
Arenas Valley, NM 88022 81%619$37,147$173,100— pricier homes ($30K more) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Russells Point, OH 43348 78%1,900$51,426$173,000$217 pricier homes ($30K more) · younger residents
Deport, TX 75435 78%1,320$50,000$135,800$257 smaller · less walkable
Castalia, NC 27816 76%2,247$33,718$141,700$148 larger · 6 min longer commute · less walkable
Satsuma, FL 32189 76%2,172$42,920$152,500$185 larger · 8 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Hermitage, MO 65668 76%1,399$38,449$138,400$145 9 min longer commute · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Natural Bridge Station, VA 24579 75%2,150$45,944$165,600$120 smaller · more single-family homes
Cartwright, OK 74731 75%1,248$54,286$158,000$180 younger residents · more single-family homes
Van Buren, ME 04785 74%2,688$41,528$114,200$126 cheaper homes ($29K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Winona, MO 65588 74%1,511$44,500$155,900$158 younger residents · more single-family homes
Krotz Springs, LA 70750 74%1,581$38,466$96,100$133 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller · younger residents
Georgetown, GA 39854 73%1,926$41,536$102,700$166 cheaper homes ($40K less) · more homeowners
Nucla, CO 81424 73%579$39,960$206,000— pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Yanceyville, NC 27379 72%2,174$38,472$169,900$191 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger · younger residents
Jellico, TN 37762 72%1,910$42,392$143,000$110 younger residents · 7 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Loup City, NE 68853 72%1,124$54,674$135,000$159 younger residents · more single-family homes
Williamsburg, NM 87942 72%660$42,308$114,800— cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller · older residents
Elk Park, NC 28622 71%2,033$44,028$169,900$199 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger · younger residents
Altoona, FL 32702 71%2,186$50,935$118,400$192 larger · 12 min longer commute
Inglis, FL 34449 71%2,127$43,656$176,400$200 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · 12 min longer commute
Shelbiana, KY 41562 71%1,992$40,104$96,700— cheaper homes ($46K less) · more single-family homes · less walkable
Martin, KY 41649 71%1,974$36,023$67,100— cheaper homes ($76K less) · 6 min longer commute
Stoutland, MO 65567 71%1,442$55,050$147,600$192 more homeowners · less walkable
Gainesville, MO 65655 71%1,453$37,337$176,000$145 pricier homes ($33K more) · more single-family homes

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.