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 Santa Rosa, CA 95407

Santa Rosa: median income $82,863, home value $627,100, $442/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Oak Harbor, WA 98277 86%684$83,253$499,600$317 cheaper homes ($128K less)
Vancouver, WA 98684 84%499$90,620$459,200$303 cheaper homes ($168K less)
Naples, FL 34116 81%2,517$73,958$430,200$311 cheaper homes ($197K less) · less walkable
Kent, WA 98030 81%621$91,761$582,400$319 cheaper homes ($45K less) · 8 min longer commute
Mount Vernon, WA 98273 80%693$76,717$492,300$331 cheaper homes ($135K less) · less walkable
Vancouver, WA 98665 80%503$88,559$476,200$274 cheaper homes ($151K less)
Sparks, NV 89434 79%180$91,507$457,000$302 cheaper homes ($170K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98198 79%621$86,239$589,500$361 cheaper homes ($38K less) · 7 min longer commute · older homes
Vancouver, WA 98662 79%503$94,303$453,200$282 cheaper homes ($174K less)
Puyallup, WA 98372 78%608$98,152$589,900$325 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Vancouver, WA 98661 78%500$76,913$451,500$289 cheaper homes ($176K less)
Mesa, AZ 85203 77%701$73,578$439,100$262 cheaper homes ($188K less) · older homes
Portland, OR 97236 77%489$75,090$436,100$281 cheaper homes ($191K less) · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Salem, OR 97305 77%455$66,326$372,200$277 cheaper homes ($255K less)
Burlington, WA 98233 77%696$87,614$502,100$348 cheaper homes ($125K less) · smaller · less walkable
Puyallup, WA 98373 77%603$103,796$565,700$280 cheaper homes ($61K less) · 7 min longer commute
Salt Lake City, UT 84123 76%596$81,271$464,500$242 cheaper homes ($163K less)
Ogden, UT 84401 76%603$80,758$439,900$223 cheaper homes ($187K less)
Monmouth, OR 97361 76%445$69,505$451,100$284 cheaper homes ($176K less) · smaller
Auburn, WA 98002 76%615$78,684$421,300$322 cheaper homes ($206K less) · 6 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Seattle, WA 98168 76%628$88,083$548,000$369 cheaper homes ($79K less) · older homes
Sumner, WA 98390 76%609$97,795$510,000$341 cheaper homes ($117K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Tacoma, WA 98424 76%610$94,122$561,600$325 cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller
Lacey, WA 98503 76%595$89,002$438,100$293 cheaper homes ($189K less) · older residents
Wenatchee, WA 98801 76%635$81,488$461,200$292 cheaper homes ($166K less) · 5 min shorter commute · older 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.