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 Palmdale, CA 93591

Palmdale: median income $63,389, home value $347,500, $271/sq ft, 45-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ridgely, MD 21660 84%2,319$80,469$359,300$255 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Shipman, VA 22971 79%2,170$79,135$319,000$260 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Concrete, WA 98237 79%982$61,711$377,700$285 pricier homes ($30K more) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Big Lake, AK 99652 78%2,332$78,578$294,800$312 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller · older residents
Pahala, HI 96777 77%2,534$64,643$233,200$239 cheaper homes ($114K less) · smaller
Greensboro, MD 21639 76%2,323$62,772$269,400$179 cheaper homes ($78K less) · smaller · older residents
White Bluff, TN 37187 75%1,720$76,228$300,800$224 cheaper homes ($47K less) · older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Leonard, TX 75452 75%1,236$69,479$295,900$188 cheaper homes ($52K less) · older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Pierce, CO 80650 75%826$57,083$393,200$229 pricier homes ($46K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Mountain View, HI 96771 75%2,499$62,426$331,900$364 older residents · 8 min shorter commute · newer homes
Millington, MD 21651 74%2,317$74,063$326,800$231 smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Lehigh Acres, FL 33972 74%2,208$73,819$320,600$207 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger · older residents
Lehigh Acres, FL 33974 74%2,212$72,192$312,600$196 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger · newer homes
Lehigh Acres, FL 33976 74%2,206$72,679$300,200$198 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
West Farmington, OH 44491 74%2,044$67,589$239,900$148 cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller
Brownfield, ME 04010 73%2,554$60,889$287,500$265 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller · older residents
Aragon, GA 30104 73%1,860$70,559$203,800$178 cheaper homes ($144K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Woodbury, TN 37190 73%1,787$64,792$274,200$212 cheaper homes ($73K less) · older residents · 11 min shorter commute
Elmwood, TN 38560 73%1,793$77,986$241,300$249 cheaper homes ($106K less) · smaller
Vernonia, OR 97064 73%827$67,317$383,600$298 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller · older residents
Suffolk, VA 23437 72%2,291$80,833$323,800$221 older residents
Gillsville, GA 30543 72%1,936$67,407$276,200$190 cheaper homes ($71K less) · 11 min shorter commute · newer homes
Titus, AL 36080 72%1,813$70,703$231,300$184 cheaper homes ($116K less) · smaller · older residents
Lake Village, IN 46349 72%1,707$82,306$257,100$159 cheaper homes ($90K less) · smaller · older residents
Shoshone, ID 83352 72%605$70,057$259,500$202 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller · older residents

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.