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 Wasco, CA 93280

Wasco: median income $51,388, home value $274,900, $245/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Grandview, WA 98930 89%733$64,583$303,500$251 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller
Sunnyside, WA 98944 86%738$64,276$260,000$225 more apartments and townhomes
Wapato, WA 98951 85%748$63,356$230,400$184 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
Fort Pierce, FL 34947 83%2,354$51,811$279,000$210 smaller
Grand Prairie, TX 75051 83%1,296$58,245$227,400$190 cheaper homes ($48K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Haltom City, TX 76117 82%1,279$51,670$211,700$186 cheaper homes ($63K less) · older residents · older homes
Yakima, WA 98901 82%759$57,392$279,600$217 more apartments and townhomes
Toppenish, WA 98948 82%743$65,759$232,200$200 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller · older homes
Commerce, GA 30529 81%2,030$62,168$242,500$186 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
Sherman, TX 75090 81%1,303$55,543$188,000$146 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Payette, ID 83661 81%598$59,351$302,300$250 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller · older residents
Richmond, VA 23234 80%2,314$66,619$266,200$218 larger
Lagrange, GA 30241 80%1,966$49,053$201,800$150 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Shelbyville, TN 37160 80%1,845$64,800$277,700$206 older residents
Weatherford, TX 76086 80%1,251$60,578$258,100$199 older residents
Bryan, TX 77803 80%1,374$52,274$153,400$169 cheaper homes ($122K less)
Milton Freewater, OR 97862 80%714$54,786$274,900$220 smaller · older residents
Burlington, NC 27217 79%2,225$51,950$173,200$182 cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger · older residents
Gastonia, NC 28052 79%2,138$49,643$187,500$174 cheaper homes ($87K less) · older homes
Greenville, SC 29611 79%2,076$51,565$195,700$181 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Houston, TX 77048 79%1,459$56,747$210,300$177 cheaper homes ($65K less) · 5 min longer commute
Petersburg, VA 23805 78%2,322$60,807$233,400$173 cheaper homes ($42K less) · older residents
Winter Haven, FL 33880 78%2,260$56,390$228,300$169 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger · older residents
Cleveland, TN 37311 78%1,938$47,153$226,800$195 cheaper homes ($48K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Knoxville, TN 37921 78%1,975$60,013$226,300$220 cheaper homes ($49K less)

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.