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 Sanger, CA 93657

Sanger: median income $78,904, home value $396,200, $241/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Magna, UT 84044 92%487$90,346$376,200$231 Very close on everything we compare
Spokane, WA 99217 91%770$73,620$377,400$232 smaller
Richmond, VA 23237 90%2,301$79,606$277,100$196 cheaper homes ($119K less)
Nampa, ID 83651 90%499$69,914$338,900$243 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Springfield, TN 37172 89%1,803$72,168$312,600$219 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Caldwell, ID 83605 89%502$68,427$346,100$239 cheaper homes ($50K less) · more walkable
Mountain Home, ID 83647 89%488$63,760$320,400$225 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller
Kelso, WA 98626 89%674$75,528$368,900$269 cheaper homes ($27K less) · older residents
Quarryville, PA 17566 88%2,340$78,108$306,200$233 cheaper homes ($90K less) · smaller
Salt Lake City, UT 84129 88%490$95,844$434,000$242 pricier homes ($38K more)
Ogden, UT 84404 88%513$85,057$396,800$228 larger
Dickson, TN 37055 87%1,780$69,821$294,600$237 cheaper homes ($102K less)
Fort Morgan, CO 80701 87%884$70,302$347,600$189 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller
Jerome, ID 83338 87%493$72,072$269,000$241 cheaper homes ($127K less) · smaller
Tremonton, UT 84337 87%523$81,683$392,700$199 smaller · newer homes
Springfield, OR 97478 87%537$80,086$387,700$305 older residents
Yakima, WA 98903 87%681$75,343$287,400$269 cheaper homes ($109K less) · smaller
Selah, WA 98942 87%690$84,646$382,300$239 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Idaho Falls, ID 83401 86%621$78,497$358,700$171 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Madras, OR 97741 86%553$70,983$334,800$247 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller
Richmond, VA 23234 85%2,300$66,619$266,200$218 cheaper homes ($130K less)
Kannapolis, NC 28081 85%2,159$71,665$285,100$207 cheaper homes ($111K less) · older residents
Brandon, FL 33510 85%2,242$74,245$328,200$216 cheaper homes ($68K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Fallon, NV 89406 85%194$79,163$329,900$256 cheaper homes ($66K less) · older residents
Reno, NV 89506 85%202$86,396$410,700$294 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.