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 Auburn, CA 95602

Auburn: median income $97,466, home value $688,500, $339/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Westport, MA 02790 92%2,604$97,250$507,900$350 cheaper homes ($181K less)
Gardnerville, NV 89460 92%74$92,292$501,700$368 cheaper homes ($187K less)
Kennebunkport, ME 04046 89%2,609$102,529$586,100$434 cheaper homes ($102K less) · smaller
Mashpee, MA 02649 87%2,635$95,299$562,200$420 cheaper homes ($126K less)
Jacksonville, OR 97530 87%243$89,239$617,400$313 cheaper homes ($71K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Anacortes, WA 98221 86%662$96,528$713,100$419 5 min shorter commute
Hayden, ID 83835 85%647$91,316$562,000$337 cheaper homes ($127K less) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Charlestown, RI 02813 84%2,579$109,404$525,500$412 cheaper homes ($163K less) · smaller
Hampstead, NH 03841 84%2,581$104,044$510,100$307 cheaper homes ($178K less) · smaller
Brush Prairie, WA 98606 84%472$115,151$735,500$321 pricier homes ($47K more) · smaller · younger residents
Leavenworth, WA 98826 84%599$87,646$720,000$411 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
Buzzards Bay, MA 02532 83%2,627$87,773$497,600$374 cheaper homes ($191K less)
East Falmouth, MA 02536 83%2,631$100,497$558,600$495 cheaper homes ($130K less)
Tiverton, RI 02878 83%2,599$106,036$411,900$306 cheaper homes ($277K less)
Kingston, NH 03848 83%2,586$105,330$492,900$317 cheaper homes ($196K less) · smaller
Woodland Park, CO 80863 83%860$104,779$572,100$261 cheaper homes ($116K less) · smaller · younger residents
Palisade, CO 81526 83%682$87,500$501,800$337 cheaper homes ($187K less) · smaller
Kingston, WA 98346 83%614$114,779$612,800$348 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller
Middleboro, MA 02346 82%2,610$97,056$468,700$299 cheaper homes ($220K less) · younger residents
Eliot, ME 03903 82%2,597$101,522$498,900$363 cheaper homes ($190K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Stevensville, MD 21666 82%2,380$123,645$494,300$278 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($194K less) · younger residents
Berryville, VA 22611 82%2,291$120,381$580,200$226 cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller · younger residents
Merritt Island, FL 32952 82%2,419$102,726$425,700$253 cheaper homes ($263K less)
Waterford, WI 53185 82%1,727$103,225$384,600$246 cheaper homes ($304K less)
Centerville, MA 02632 81%2,641$121,317$616,700$486 cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller

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.