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 Oakdale, CA 95361

Oakdale: median income $92,963, home value $516,000, $317/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Port Orchard, WA 98366 99%681$92,011$475,800$313 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Puyallup, WA 98371 95%656$97,242$556,800$323 pricier homes ($41K more)
Tacoma, WA 98445 95%651$92,520$444,800$282 cheaper homes ($71K less)
Auburn, WA 98001 94%663$106,791$587,400$342 pricier homes ($71K more)
Marysville, WA 98270 93%714$108,147$579,900$362 pricier homes ($64K more) · larger
Marysville, WA 98271 92%717$95,654$538,400$380 Very close on everything we compare
Gresham, OR 97080 91%539$96,305$502,000$269 6 min shorter commute
Molalla, OR 97038 90%516$89,564$483,500$314 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller
Kent, WA 98031 90%668$105,965$611,600$349 pricier homes ($96K more)
Silverton, OR 97381 89%508$89,383$539,600$313 smaller
Federal Way, WA 98023 89%663$104,893$589,900$320 pricier homes ($74K more)
Scappoose, OR 97056 88%562$94,209$469,800$268 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller
Middleboro, MA 02346 87%2,628$97,056$468,700$299 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Miami, FL 33170 87%2,498$73,958$474,400$337 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Miami, FL 33177 87%2,499$82,682$444,200$383 cheaper homes ($72K less) · larger
Saint Helens, OR 97051 87%568$85,869$412,100$269 cheaper homes ($104K less) · smaller
Cornelius, OR 97113 87%548$96,859$465,400$275 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Puyallup, WA 98374 87%651$112,662$535,300$284 Very close on everything we compare
Oregon City, OR 97045 86%530$103,573$587,700$313 pricier homes ($72K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Sandy, OR 97055 86%530$112,323$493,900$274 smaller
Dallas, OR 97338 86%510$78,858$424,400$284 cheaper homes ($92K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Arlington, WA 98223 86%722$99,681$601,400$389 pricier homes ($85K more)
Bremerton, WA 98312 86%684$90,449$473,100$290 cheaper homes ($43K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Culpeper, VA 22701 85%2,307$97,892$396,800$246 cheaper homes ($119K less) · less walkable
Forest Grove, OR 97116 85%554$92,613$495,800$262 5 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes

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.