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.

Reset

Towns most like Gonzales, CA 93926

Gonzales: median income $77,694, home value $621,900, $574/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Molalla, OR 97038 70%600$89,564$483,500$314 cheaper homes ($138K less) · larger · older residents
Burlington, WA 98233 68%830$87,614$502,100$348 cheaper homes ($120K less) · larger · older residents
Mount Angel, OR 97362 66%597$66,250$462,400$287 cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller · older residents
Mount Vernon, WA 98273 65%826$76,717$492,300$331 cheaper homes ($130K less) · larger · older residents
Rifle, CO 81650 64%770$81,025$418,200$310 cheaper homes ($204K less) · larger · more homeowners
Everson, WA 98247 64%859$88,724$564,400$356 cheaper homes ($58K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Sumner, WA 98390 64%742$97,795$510,000$341 cheaper homes ($112K less) · older residents
Monmouth, OR 97361 63%585$69,505$451,100$284 cheaper homes ($171K less) · larger
Kekaha, HI 96752 62%2,497$90,174$682,900$727 pricier homes ($61K more) · smaller · older residents
Independence, OR 97351 62%585$88,519$396,800$294 cheaper homes ($225K less) · newer homes
Naples, FL 34116 61%2,430$73,958$430,200$311 cheaper homes ($192K less) · larger · older residents
Sumas, WA 98295 61%863$98,965$456,200$296 cheaper homes ($166K less) · smaller · older residents
Miami, FL 33170 60%2,519$73,958$474,400$337 cheaper homes ($148K less) · larger · older residents
South Bound Brook, NJ 08880 59%2,520$112,961$359,000$443 higher income ($35K more) · cheaper homes ($263K less) · smaller
Hauula, HI 96717 59%2,414$102,978$875,000$625 higher income ($25K more) · pricier homes ($253K more) · smaller
Stayton, OR 97383 59%579$78,853$423,600$288 cheaper homes ($198K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Gordonville, PA 17529 58%2,443$80,050$362,100$232 cheaper homes ($260K less) · smaller
Kaunakakai, HI 96748 58%2,383$77,422$386,500$399 cheaper homes ($235K less) · smaller · older residents
Pacific, WA 98047 58%746$115,188$482,800$363 higher income ($37K more) · cheaper homes ($139K less) · older residents
Seattle, WA 98168 58%761$88,083$548,000$369 cheaper homes ($74K less) · larger · older residents
Oak Harbor, WA 98277 58%819$83,253$499,600$317 cheaper homes ($122K less) · larger · older residents
Woodland, WA 98674 58%655$94,245$538,000$285 cheaper homes ($84K less) · larger · older residents
Marysville, WA 98271 57%803$95,654$538,400$380 cheaper homes ($84K less) · larger · older residents
Bremerton, WA 98312 57%769$90,449$473,100$290 cheaper homes ($149K less) · larger · older residents
Puyallup, WA 98372 57%742$98,152$589,900$325 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · 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.