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 San Andreas, CA 95249

San Andreas: median income $45,302, home value $429,700, $292/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Superior, MT 59872 84%686$55,926$396,600$387 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Randle, WA 98377 84%581$56,167$424,300$397 smaller
Elizaville, NY 12523 83%2,459$54,235$343,400$322 cheaper homes ($86K less) · smaller
Kinsale, VA 22488 83%2,372$45,313$431,300$232 smaller
Whitehall, MT 59759 80%687$60,571$353,900$335 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Cathlamet, WA 98612 80%570$59,583$429,600$318 6 min shorter commute
Lovingston, VA 22949 79%2,255$52,679$272,700$240 cheaper homes ($157K less) · smaller
Charlo, MT 59824 78%718$53,382$317,800$247 cheaper homes ($112K less) · smaller · younger residents
Cedaredge, CO 81413 78%688$58,465$355,800$245 cheaper homes ($74K less) · more single-family homes
Clarkdale, AZ 86324 78%532$46,813$374,400$280 cheaper homes ($55K less) · 10 min shorter commute · newer homes
Wolf Creek, OR 97497 78%341$36,210$321,800$285 cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller
Bethel, ME 04217 77%2,582$61,125$329,700$274 cheaper homes ($100K less)
Prattsville, NY 12468 77%2,426$51,875$241,100$278 cheaper homes ($189K less) · smaller
Troy, MT 59935 77%750$39,712$371,400$307 cheaper homes ($58K less) · 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Hotchkiss, CO 81419 77%698$59,735$364,200$324 cheaper homes ($66K less) · more homeowners
Waldport, OR 97394 77%464$60,660$374,200$301 cheaper homes ($56K less) · older residents · newer homes
Drain, OR 97435 77%404$52,067$315,100$270 cheaper homes ($115K less) · smaller · younger residents
Unicoi, TN 37692 76%2,099$53,531$232,600$200 cheaper homes ($197K less)
Myrtle Point, OR 97458 76%383$51,760$276,200$226 cheaper homes ($154K less) · younger residents
Morton, WA 98356 76%584$60,060$308,500$279 cheaper homes ($121K less) · smaller
Norway, ME 04268 75%2,596$54,342$215,800$239 cheaper homes ($214K less) · younger residents
Hollywood, SC 29449 75%2,285$56,929$409,500$296 larger · more homeowners · newer homes
Luray, VA 22835 74%2,263$52,939$265,700$225 cheaper homes ($164K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Tuckasegee, NC 28783 74%2,076$51,350$290,900$271 cheaper homes ($139K less) · smaller · younger residents
Panacea, FL 32346 74%2,135$61,700$267,200$257 cheaper homes ($163K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute

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.