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 Garberville, CA 95542

Garberville: median income $46,104, home value $395,500, $212/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
South Bend, WA 98586 88%454$50,893$261,000$213 cheaper homes ($135K less)
Apalachicola, FL 32320 85%2,291$46,713$241,500$279 cheaper homes ($154K less) · larger
Cripple Creek, CO 80813 85%997$48,530$297,600$237 cheaper homes ($98K less) · 5 min longer commute · newer homes
Parowan, UT 84761 85%609$51,538$355,000$208 cheaper homes ($41K less) · 8 min longer commute
Jefferson, NC 28640 84%2,291$53,155$282,900$264 cheaper homes ($113K less) · larger
Oroville, WA 98844 82%649$44,201$293,800$252 cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger
Salmon, ID 83467 81%613$53,917$316,700$265 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger · more homeowners
Bomoseen, VT 05732 80%2,574$43,462$257,800$191 cheaper homes ($138K less) · smaller · more walkable
Accident, MD 21520 80%2,335$59,852$298,600$236 cheaper homes ($97K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Weiser, ID 83672 80%453$51,045$272,800$225 cheaper homes ($123K less) · larger · younger residents
Halfway, OR 97834 80%476$43,889$366,300— cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Eureka Springs, AR 72632 79%1,643$46,354$247,300$223 cheaper homes ($148K less) · larger · newer homes
Del Norte, CO 81132 79%949$55,000$209,500$235 cheaper homes ($186K less)
Cape Charles, VA 23310 78%2,556$62,500$377,300$318 larger · older residents
Vilas, NC 28692 78%2,277$43,103$324,900$257 cheaper homes ($71K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Ruidoso, NM 88345 78%1,105$53,971$263,700$228 cheaper homes ($132K less) · larger
Canyonville, OR 97417 78%198$50,217$246,200$269 cheaper homes ($149K less)
Coquille, OR 97423 78%215$61,020$296,100$208 cheaper homes ($99K less) · larger
Okanogan, WA 98840 78%607$57,342$261,600$145 cheaper homes ($134K less) · larger
Newport, ME 04953 77%2,746$60,365$234,800$182 cheaper homes ($161K less) · 5 min longer commute
Sparta, NC 28675 77%2,304$44,560$215,300$218 cheaper homes ($180K less) · larger
Inchelium, WA 99138 77%627$50,833$218,100— cheaper homes ($177K less) · smaller
New Lebanon, NY 12125 76%2,584$55,625$275,900$211 cheaper homes ($120K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Melfa, VA 23410 76%2,559$54,050$195,100$193 cheaper homes ($200K less)
Lewisburg, WV 24901 76%2,312$53,403$266,300$193 cheaper homes ($129K 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.