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 Three Rivers, CA 93271

Three Rivers: median income $85,922, home value $493,900, $382/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Camden, ME 04843 83%2,637$82,344$520,600$375 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Grand Marais, MN 55604 83%1,647$73,427$352,500$369 cheaper homes ($141K less) · larger
Red Lodge, MT 59068 83%786$80,962$438,700$366 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger · older residents
Newcastle, ME 04553 82%2,615$89,868$398,000$321 cheaper homes ($96K less) · more homeowners
Kent, CT 06757 82%2,435$95,186$406,100$436 cheaper homes ($88K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
New Buffalo, MI 49117 82%1,752$75,114$488,000$351 larger
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 82%1,751$73,784$432,200$406 cheaper homes ($62K less) · more homeowners
Joseph, OR 97846 82%622$71,471$383,200$341 cheaper homes ($111K less)
Saint Michaels, MD 21663 81%2,320$89,775$650,500$438 pricier homes ($157K more) · larger
Washington Depot, CT 06794 79%2,443$96,979$733,100$431 pricier homes ($239K more) · smaller
Germantown, NY 12526 79%2,412$97,679$485,000$361 larger · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners
Bar Harbor, ME 04609 78%2,676$77,180$538,400$376 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Owls Head, ME 04854 78%2,637$87,325$413,300$379 cheaper homes ($81K less) · more homeowners
Hillsdale, NY 12529 78%2,427$70,750$384,600$334 cheaper homes ($109K less) · older homes
Paonia, CO 81428 78%639$75,799$432,700$279 cheaper homes ($61K less) · larger · more homeowners
Twisp, WA 98856 78%826$70,089$484,600$320 younger residents
Sheffield, MA 01257 77%2,437$102,788$441,000$299 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Franconia, NH 03580 77%2,505$91,250$497,100$243 smaller · more homeowners
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 77%2,536$94,349$548,600$347 pricier homes ($55K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
North Garden, VA 22959 77%2,201$95,461$548,800$414 pricier homes ($55K more) · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners
Lincolnville, ME 04849 76%2,636$80,377$360,600$329 cheaper homes ($133K less) · larger · more homeowners
Hinesburg, VT 05461 76%2,438$109,712$460,200$315 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger · more homeowners
Chattanooga, TN 37419 76%1,873$74,787$351,800$245 cheaper homes ($142K less) · larger
Arroyo Seco, NM 87514 76%741$71,556$545,200$432 pricier homes ($51K more) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Winthrop, WA 98862 76%834$71,080$720,200$447 pricier homes ($226K more) · newer 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.