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 Mckinleyville, CA 95519

Mckinleyville: median income $73,280, home value $469,400, $317/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83815 89%590$77,864$498,300$313 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger
Livingston, MT 59047 88%752$71,620$456,800$325 older homes
Columbia Falls, MT 59912 88%705$76,617$488,800$399 less walkable
Talent, OR 97540 88%112$65,762$453,900$286 smaller
Vancouver, WA 98664 88%332$85,369$467,200$296 older homes
Garden City, ID 83714 87%442$87,651$496,800$336 pricier homes ($27K more)
Sandpoint, ID 83864 87%629$70,496$516,500$381 pricier homes ($47K more) · older residents
Traverse City, MI 49685 86%1,949$84,590$358,500$261 cheaper homes ($111K less) · more homeowners
Boise, ID 83713 86%437$91,295$454,100$273 larger · more homeowners
Tucson, AZ 85745 86%940$71,348$342,700$244 cheaper homes ($127K less) · larger
Albany, OR 97321 86%261$99,416$473,100$267 higher income ($26K more) · larger
Stayton, OR 97383 86%275$78,853$423,600$288 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller
Kalispell, MT 59901 85%694$72,523$476,300$334 larger
Loveland, CO 80537 85%994$86,325$484,300$252 larger
Montrose, CO 81401 85%877$71,286$374,300$280 cheaper homes ($95K less)
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814 85%589$74,782$589,600$419 pricier homes ($120K more) · older homes
Flagstaff, AZ 86004 85%786$81,172$509,900$381 pricier homes ($41K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Salem, OR 97304 85%282$98,031$499,300$260 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger
Junction City, OR 97448 85%229$81,029$478,700$288 older homes
Redmond, OR 97756 85%273$87,278$489,900$318 larger
Veradale, WA 99037 85%574$87,713$459,500$206 Very close on everything we compare
Milford, DE 19963 84%2,548$71,108$322,500$221 cheaper homes ($147K less)
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 84%2,607$86,193$437,500$368 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller · older residents
Hanahan, SC 29410 84%2,469$87,984$374,800$250 cheaper homes ($95K less) · younger residents
Nashville, TN 37218 84%2,022$61,919$349,900$261 cheaper homes ($120K less) · 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.