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 Big Pine, CA 93513

Big Pine: median income $67,292, home value $330,300, $265/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bay City, OR 97107 90%645$70,417$407,400$306 pricier homes ($77K more)
Accident, MD 21520 89%2,101$59,852$298,600$236 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Vale, OR 97918 89%475$63,342$298,100$219 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger
Union, OR 97883 88%556$65,172$239,100$229 cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger
Randolph Center, VT 05061 87%2,412$75,761$337,300$191 Very close on everything we compare
Boulder, MT 59632 87%702$68,750$278,800$180 cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger
Newport, MN 55055 86%1,415$71,979$378,100$245 pricier homes ($48K more) · larger
Wanamingo, MN 55983 86%1,415$82,446$283,600$210 cheaper homes ($47K less) · younger residents
Hammond, OR 97121 86%688$59,470$426,700$319 pricier homes ($96K more) · 5 min longer commute
Searsport, ME 04974 85%2,589$64,303$224,400$290 cheaper homes ($106K less) · larger · less walkable
Vernon, VT 05354 85%2,425$85,682$285,100$204 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger · less walkable
Parsonsburg, MD 21849 85%2,319$71,211$249,200$213 cheaper homes ($81K less) · larger · less walkable
Choteau, MT 59422 85%799$67,500$256,500$184 cheaper homes ($74K less) · larger
Salina, UT 84654 85%370$64,015$287,500$186 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger · less walkable
Pittsfield, NH 03263 84%2,480$74,318$294,800$241 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Millerton, NY 12546 84%2,380$84,455$313,300$313 larger
Rockford, TN 37853 84%1,900$69,075$221,500$284 cheaper homes ($109K less) · larger · less walkable
Fairview, MT 59221 84%1,027$77,115$243,600$230 cheaper homes ($87K less) · less walkable
Meeker, CO 81641 84%595$63,070$329,700$174 larger
Moore, ID 83255 84%520$70,714$283,200$340 cheaper homes ($47K less) · less walkable
Dexter, OR 97431 84%524$60,714$354,800$342 7 min longer commute
Mechanic Falls, ME 04256 83%2,520$69,914$270,900$213 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Warren, ME 04864 83%2,577$74,616$232,700$251 cheaper homes ($98K less) · larger
Sharon, VT 05065 83%2,422$86,042$341,200$252 6 min longer commute
Bridgman, MI 49106 83%1,712$72,500$262,400$206 cheaper homes ($68K less) · larger

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.