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 Bakersfield, CA 93306

Bakersfield: median income $69,805, home value $320,600, $219/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Irving, TX 75060 94%1,268$71,575$249,800$198 cheaper homes ($71K less) · smaller
Caldwell, ID 83605 94%584$68,427$346,100$239 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller
Richmond, VA 23234 93%2,291$66,619$266,200$218 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
Peoria, AZ 85345 93%402$67,380$319,800$242 Very close on everything we compare
Orlando, FL 32818 92%2,231$63,061$304,600$202 Very close on everything we compare
Garland, TX 75040 92%1,284$74,519$266,300$179 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Nampa, ID 83651 90%580$69,914$338,900$243 smaller · newer homes
Tucson, AZ 85730 89%516$62,090$246,100$203 cheaper homes ($75K less) · smaller
Woodburn, OR 97071 89%705$70,938$340,800$275 smaller · older residents
Fort Worth, TX 76134 88%1,249$70,945$239,000$156 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller
Ogden, UT 84404 88%554$85,057$396,800$228 pricier homes ($76K more)
Phoenix, AZ 85033 88%405$64,144$292,800$236 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Mesa, AZ 85204 88%430$72,216$351,300$274 pricier homes ($31K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Middletown, OH 45044 87%1,904$73,732$241,600$172 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Phoenix, AZ 85051 87%408$69,189$326,300$221 smaller · more walkable
Las Vegas, NV 89107 87%216$59,571$330,500$239 smaller
Longview, WA 98632 87%773$66,305$379,200$259 pricier homes ($59K more) · older residents
Vineland, NJ 08360 86%2,403$65,359$221,900$198 cheaper homes ($99K less) · smaller · older homes
New Castle, DE 19720 86%2,368$75,403$265,000$203 cheaper homes ($56K less) · older residents
Hampton, VA 23669 86%2,357$71,222$260,400$187 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller
Kannapolis, NC 28083 86%2,144$66,257$224,700$201 cheaper homes ($96K less) · smaller
Apopka, FL 32703 86%2,229$72,880$344,200$215 older residents · newer homes
Aurora, IL 60506 86%1,700$79,517$253,700$211 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Fort Worth, TX 76133 86%1,247$75,523$238,900$161 cheaper homes ($82K less)
Phoenix, AZ 85037 86%403$84,016$330,200$243 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.