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 Tehachapi, CA 93561

Tehachapi: median income $87,357, home value $408,800, $252/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Front Royal, VA 22630 94%2,219$84,631$358,600$221 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Gloucester, VA 23061 94%2,320$91,626$344,500$239 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Greenbrier, TN 37073 93%1,769$89,065$367,200$232 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Winchester, VA 22602 92%2,212$101,398$379,700$214 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Gainesville, GA 30506 92%1,953$97,413$390,500$214 Very close on everything we compare
Fairview, TN 37062 92%1,754$91,750$379,600$247 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
Shelton, WA 98584 92%869$78,610$393,000$299 Very close on everything we compare
Palmer, AK 99645 92%2,263$100,455$367,400$268 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043 91%2,153$84,145$337,900$186 cheaper homes ($71K less) · newer homes
Seymour, TN 37865 91%1,942$88,231$312,600$216 cheaper homes ($96K less)
Chehalis, WA 98532 91%829$89,910$427,100$286 7 min shorter commute
Wendell, NC 27591 90%2,239$85,224$312,400$192 cheaper homes ($96K less)
Dawsonville, GA 30534 90%1,937$95,341$386,000$206 newer homes
Lutz, FL 33549 90%2,159$89,343$385,900$248 smaller
Valrico, FL 33594 90%2,177$96,628$346,900$206 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Old Hickory, TN 37138 90%1,780$85,149$363,000$233 cheaper homes ($46K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Soddy Daisy, TN 37379 90%1,871$88,875$307,300$217 cheaper homes ($102K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Princeton, MN 55371 90%1,486$93,824$327,200$210 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller
Culpeper, VA 22701 89%2,232$97,892$396,800$246 Very close on everything we compare
Ruckersville, VA 22968 89%2,212$88,929$357,300$235 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller
Gastonia, NC 28056 89%2,095$90,427$315,000$180 cheaper homes ($94K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Monroe, NC 28110 89%2,131$83,480$342,600$205 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger
Fayetteville, GA 30214 89%1,933$89,912$371,500$167 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Monroe, GA 30656 89%1,970$93,428$355,100$197 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
White Lake, MI 48386 89%1,936$89,702$321,100$211 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller

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.