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 Willits, CA 95490

Willits: median income $79,594, home value $392,700, $254/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cottage Grove, OR 97424 96%300$79,688$372,500$275 Very close on everything we compare
Tillamook, OR 97141 95%415$69,831$398,100$335 Very close on everything we compare
Junction City, OR 97448 95%328$81,029$478,700$288 pricier homes ($86K more)
Stayton, OR 97383 93%371$78,853$423,600$288 pricier homes ($31K more) · younger residents
Madras, OR 97741 92%376$70,983$334,800$247 cheaper homes ($58K less) · younger residents
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 91%1,469$70,037$314,700$217 cheaper homes ($78K less)
Sheridan, WY 82801 91%916$73,213$386,500$274 larger · 6 min shorter commute
Port Angeles, WA 98362 91%598$70,123$403,300$298 larger
Kelso, WA 98626 91%464$75,528$368,900$269 larger
Spokane, WA 99217 91%649$73,620$377,400$232 younger residents
Laurel, MT 59044 90%857$87,648$346,500$231 cheaper homes ($46K less) · younger residents
Montrose, CO 81401 90%834$71,286$374,300$280 larger · newer homes
Carson City, NV 89701 90%195$73,184$444,500$299 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger
Warrenton, OR 97146 90%463$82,936$463,800$313 pricier homes ($71K more) · smaller
Roseburg, OR 97471 90%261$71,670$359,200$259 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger · more homeowners
Montesano, WA 98563 90%528$84,634$349,200$230 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller
Milford, DE 19963 89%2,536$71,108$322,500$221 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Elkhorn, WI 53121 89%1,815$85,643$313,500$222 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Alexandria, MN 56308 89%1,481$78,177$341,900$194 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Morris, IL 60450 89%1,831$81,777$275,500$193 cheaper homes ($117K less)
Springfield, OR 97478 89%319$80,086$387,700$305 larger
Central Point, OR 97502 89%205$83,488$403,300$266 larger · newer homes
Port Angeles, WA 98363 89%595$64,869$385,100$331 Very close on everything we compare
Laconia, NH 03246 88%2,656$73,241$339,700$305 cheaper homes ($53K less) · more apartments and townhomes
New Holland, PA 17557 88%2,481$82,491$286,500$194 cheaper homes ($106K less)

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.