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 Tracy, CA 95377

Tracy: median income $158,158, home value $834,600, $320/sq ft, 47-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Maple Valley, WA 98038 75%673$152,261$776,900$377 cheaper homes ($58K less) · 11 min shorter commute
Bonney Lake, WA 98391 74%656$135,037$626,800$317 cheaper homes ($208K less) · larger · 11 min shorter commute
Spotsylvania, VA 22553 71%2,366$135,856$480,200$210 cheaper homes ($354K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Loxahatchee, FL 33470 69%2,503$122,163$584,500$301 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($250K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Lake Stevens, WA 98258 69%716$123,898$653,100$375 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($182K less) · 12 min shorter commute
Elizabeth, CO 80107 68%920$135,262$684,800$221 cheaper homes ($150K less) · smaller · older residents
Miami, FL 33187 67%2,528$115,206$574,300$352 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($260K less) · smaller
Snohomish, WA 98290 67%708$132,973$784,200$407 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($50K less) · 12 min shorter commute
Monroe, WA 98272 66%705$122,352$713,300$396 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($121K less) · 12 min shorter commute
Orting, WA 98360 66%652$125,842$505,200$286 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($329K less) · smaller
Manassas, VA 20112 65%2,372$195,467$648,000$250 higher income ($37K more) · cheaper homes ($187K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Brandywine, MD 20613 65%2,403$151,422$530,000$222 cheaper homes ($305K less) · smaller · older residents
Huntingtown, MD 20639 65%2,416$161,422$555,100$210 cheaper homes ($280K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Stafford, VA 22556 65%2,370$137,287$486,100$226 cheaper homes ($349K less) · 10 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Hollywood, FL 33029 65%2,520$146,237$619,900$331 cheaper homes ($215K less) · 13 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Lithia, FL 33547 65%2,367$123,258$524,300$221 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($310K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Accokeek, MD 20607 64%2,393$151,427$559,000$215 cheaper homes ($276K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Miami, FL 33185 64%2,527$114,206$562,700$343 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($272K less) · older residents
Nokesville, VA 20181 63%2,365$164,167$709,300$264 cheaper homes ($125K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Waldorf, MD 20603 63%2,396$137,946$453,700$198 cheaper homes ($381K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Black Diamond, WA 98010 63%668$142,048$775,400$354 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
Kent, WA 98042 63%672$127,552$658,500$339 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($176K less) · 14 min shorter commute
Stafford, VA 22554 62%2,375$151,480$521,400$202 cheaper homes ($313K less) · larger · 10 min shorter commute
Odessa, FL 33556 62%2,332$149,722$625,200$266 cheaper homes ($209K less) · 14 min shorter commute
Puyallup, WA 98375 62%654$117,074$522,100$263 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($313K less) · 12 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.