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 95391

Tracy: median income $176,952, home value $947,000, $334/sq ft, 50-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Maple Valley, WA 98038 64%665$152,261$776,900$377 cheaper homes ($170K less) · 13 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Black Diamond, WA 98010 61%660$142,048$775,400$354 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($172K less) · smaller
Bristow, VA 20136 60%2,365$183,750$615,600$235 cheaper homes ($331K less) · 10 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Morganville, NJ 07751 58%2,512$181,205$715,600$381 cheaper homes ($231K less) · older residents · 9 min shorter commute
Victor, ID 83455 58%678$121,964$789,100$520 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($158K less) · smaller
Manassas, VA 20112 57%2,372$195,467$648,000$250 cheaper homes ($299K less) · older residents · 9 min shorter commute
Round Hill, VA 20141 57%2,347$210,563$736,700$287 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($210K less) · smaller
New Market, MD 21774 57%2,369$171,103$541,000$241 cheaper homes ($406K less) · 10 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Purcellville, VA 20132 55%2,349$181,875$776,300$274 cheaper homes ($171K less) · older residents · 15 min shorter commute
Lovettsville, VA 20180 55%2,352$151,483$664,400$238 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($283K less) · smaller
Lithia, FL 33547 55%2,370$123,258$524,300$221 lower income ($54K less) · cheaper homes ($423K less) · 12 min shorter commute
Odessa, FL 33556 55%2,335$149,722$625,200$266 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($322K less) · older residents
Nolensville, TN 37135 55%1,920$148,819$672,600$283 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($274K less) · 14 min shorter commute
Spotsylvania, VA 22553 54%2,367$135,856$480,200$210 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($467K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Haymarket, VA 20169 53%2,358$203,051$729,600$253 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($217K less) · older residents
Stafford, VA 22554 53%2,375$151,480$521,400$202 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($426K less) · larger
Englishtown, NJ 07726 52%2,509$149,197$647,100$356 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($300K less) · larger
Accokeek, MD 20607 52%2,393$151,427$559,000$215 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($388K less) · smaller
Bothell, WA 98021 52%693$183,786$967,700$475 18 min shorter commute · older homes
Gainesville, VA 20155 51%2,359$164,279$659,100$252 cheaper homes ($288K less) · older residents · 16 min shorter commute
Pompano Beach, FL 33076 51%2,520$176,641$832,000$351 cheaper homes ($115K less) · larger · 18 min shorter commute
Warrenton, VA 20187 50%2,355$176,435$646,400$239 cheaper homes ($301K less) · older residents · 13 min shorter commute
Hollywood, FL 33029 50%2,524$146,237$619,900$331 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($327K less) · larger
Duvall, WA 98019 50%688$161,212$826,600$421 cheaper homes ($120K less) · smaller · 18 min shorter commute
Bonney Lake, WA 98391 50%648$135,037$626,800$317 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($320K less) · larger

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.