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 Castroville, CA 95012

Castroville: median income $80,288, home value $598,900, $333/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Monmouth, OR 97361 76%563$69,505$451,100$284 cheaper homes ($148K less)
Tacoma, WA 98409 75%722$73,348$394,500$317 cheaper homes ($204K less) · larger
Salem, OR 97305 74%572$66,326$372,200$277 cheaper homes ($227K less) · larger
Tacoma, WA 98444 74%718$65,342$416,400$310 cheaper homes ($183K less) · larger · older residents
Mount Angel, OR 97362 73%577$66,250$462,400$287 cheaper homes ($137K less) · smaller · older residents
Auburn, WA 98002 73%729$78,684$421,300$322 cheaper homes ($178K less) · larger · older residents
Bremerton, WA 98310 73%750$75,878$440,500$286 cheaper homes ($158K less) · larger · older residents
Milton, WA 98354 72%725$96,866$536,800$358 cheaper homes ($62K less) · older residents
Tacoma, WA 98424 72%724$94,122$561,600$325 cheaper homes ($37K less) · newer homes
Aurora, CO 80011 71%940$74,022$409,100$235 cheaper homes ($190K less) · larger
Spring Valley, NY 10977 70%2,550$74,451$649,700$403 pricier homes ($51K more) · larger
Naples, FL 34116 70%2,451$73,958$430,200$311 cheaper homes ($169K less) · larger · older residents
Aurora, CO 80017 70%941$80,524$427,100$222 cheaper homes ($172K less) · larger
Mesa, AZ 85203 70%607$73,578$439,100$262 cheaper homes ($160K less) · larger
Sparks, NV 89431 70%221$66,592$365,100$294 cheaper homes ($234K less) · larger · older residents
Portland, OR 97236 70%604$75,090$436,100$281 cheaper homes ($163K less) · larger · older residents
Sumner, WA 98390 70%722$97,795$510,000$341 cheaper homes ($89K less) · older residents
Phoenix, AZ 85040 69%597$60,727$329,800$251 cheaper homes ($269K less) · larger
Molalla, OR 97038 69%579$89,564$483,500$314 cheaper homes ($115K less) · larger · older residents
Kent, WA 98030 69%734$91,761$582,400$319 larger · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Seattle, WA 98148 69%738$87,342$607,900$331 older residents
Paterson, NJ 07502 68%2,544$76,790$375,300$381 cheaper homes ($224K less) · larger · older residents
Riverdale, MD 20737 68%2,426$86,951$390,500$286 cheaper homes ($208K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Aurora, CO 80010 68%938$63,579$424,600$305 cheaper homes ($174K less) · larger · older homes
Denver, CO 80239 68%940$98,148$429,600$238 cheaper homes ($169K 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.