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 Columbia, CA 95310

Columbia: median income $54,697, home value $434,800, $255/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Port Orford, OR 97465 86%390$43,777$342,100$273 cheaper homes ($93K less)
Crawford, CO 81415 85%693$59,141$330,900$333 cheaper homes ($104K less)
Cedar Key, FL 32625 84%2,220$60,298$322,700$279 cheaper homes ($112K less) · more homeowners
Panacea, FL 32346 83%2,121$61,700$267,200$257 cheaper homes ($168K less) · larger · younger residents
Golden, MO 65658 82%1,470$51,641$321,800$215 cheaper homes ($113K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Buchanan Dam, TX 78609 82%1,346$64,418$319,700$189 cheaper homes ($115K less) · 6 min longer commute
La Veta, CO 81055 82%838$55,080$398,600$259 cheaper homes ($36K less) · older residents · more single-family homes
Juliaetta, ID 83535 82%619$57,647$293,800$272 cheaper homes ($141K less) · younger residents
Clarkdale, AZ 86324 82%516$46,813$374,400$280 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger
North Conway, NH 03860 81%2,562$71,759$401,500$281 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Elizaville, NY 12523 80%2,450$54,235$343,400$322 cheaper homes ($91K less) · younger residents
Arapahoe, NC 28510 80%2,407$58,839$264,100$240 cheaper homes ($171K less) · younger residents
Philipsburg, MT 59858 80%676$56,719$380,000$316 cheaper homes ($55K less) · more single-family homes
Shady Cove, OR 97539 80%340$51,875$389,900$240 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger · newer homes
Lovingston, VA 22949 79%2,244$52,679$272,700$240 cheaper homes ($162K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Kinsale, VA 22488 78%2,361$45,313$431,300$232 9 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Cape Charles, VA 23310 78%2,407$62,500$377,300$318 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger · younger residents
Chincoteague Island, VA 23336 78%2,428$63,464$346,700$288 cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Dillard, GA 30537 78%2,056$50,000$318,500$215 cheaper homes ($116K less)
Superior, MT 59872 78%690$55,926$396,600$387 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger · younger residents
Patagonia, AZ 85624 78%710$56,053$397,500$147 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Brinnon, WA 98320 78%678$55,893$285,200$399 cheaper homes ($150K less) · more homeowners
Tamworth, NH 03886 77%2,557$74,450$368,200$274 cheaper homes ($67K less) · more single-family homes
Bokeelia, FL 33922 77%2,348$71,164$355,800$269 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger · younger residents
Darby, MT 59829 77%636$63,650$437,900$315 larger · younger residents · more single-family 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.