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 Valley Springs, CA 95252

Valley Springs: median income $89,651, home value $457,000, $284/sq ft, 44-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Eatonville, WA 98328 89%606$103,696$591,800$355 pricier homes ($135K more)
Bumpass, VA 23024 87%2,322$100,962$371,300$258 cheaper homes ($86K less)
Roy, WA 98580 87%613$104,684$542,800$291 pricier homes ($86K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Wittmann, AZ 85361 85%552$77,361$412,400$247 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Ruther Glen, VA 22546 83%2,338$89,247$301,100$215 cheaper homes ($156K less) · younger residents
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425 83%2,301$94,048$341,200$236 cheaper homes ($116K less)
Myakka City, FL 34251 83%2,348$92,005$481,900$345 smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Reno, NV 89508 83%116$97,361$452,700$289 9 min shorter commute
Belfair, WA 98528 83%649$91,058$430,200$303 cheaper homes ($27K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Spotsylvania, VA 22551 82%2,323$110,370$391,400$236 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger
Colton, OR 97017 82%490$83,355$610,300$323 pricier homes ($153K more) · smaller
Granite Falls, WA 98252 82%687$98,370$520,700$375 pricier homes ($64K more) · 8 min shorter commute
Nine Mile Falls, WA 99026 82%686$100,599$540,400$245 pricier homes ($83K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Saint Leonard, MD 20685 81%2,381$119,135$450,400$212 higher income ($29K more) · smaller
Gloucester, VA 23061 81%2,397$91,626$344,500$239 cheaper homes ($113K less) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Joelton, TN 37080 81%1,861$87,963$333,700$232 cheaper homes ($123K less) · smaller · older residents
Readyville, TN 37149 81%1,907$78,345$402,900$268 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
Gold Bar, WA 98251 81%669$83,891$448,900$398 smaller
Rixeyville, VA 22737 80%2,299$99,177$401,000$314 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller
Mineral, VA 23117 80%2,316$89,241$301,400$264 cheaper homes ($156K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Suffolk, VA 23437 80%2,398$80,833$323,800$221 cheaper homes ($133K less) · smaller
Hedgesville, WV 25427 80%2,282$87,184$291,100$210 cheaper homes ($166K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Naples, FL 34117 80%2,426$110,614$461,600$327 9 min shorter commute
Graham, WA 98338 80%617$114,819$509,600$302 higher income ($25K more) · pricier homes ($53K more) · larger
Effort, PA 18330 79%2,399$93,733$291,600$183 cheaper homes ($165K 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.