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 95603

Auburn: median income $85,357, home value $650,500, $369/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814 90%644$74,782$589,600$419 cheaper homes ($61K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Carson City, NV 89703 88%72$85,230$626,500$330 smaller
Buzzards Bay, MA 02532 87%2,628$87,773$497,600$374 cheaper homes ($153K less) · smaller
Canby, OR 97013 86%446$101,832$562,300$317 cheaper homes ($88K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Portland, OR 97267 86%455$87,418$533,400$295 cheaper homes ($117K less) · more walkable
Livingston, MT 59047 85%710$71,620$456,800$325 cheaper homes ($194K less) · smaller
Junction City, OR 97448 85%382$81,029$478,700$288 cheaper homes ($172K less) · smaller · younger residents
Westerly, RI 02891 84%2,573$97,110$470,000$369 cheaper homes ($181K less)
Merritt Island, FL 32953 84%2,410$87,262$419,200$225 cheaper homes ($231K less)
Boulder City, NV 89005 84%398$74,375$435,600$289 cheaper homes ($215K less) · smaller
West Yarmouth, MA 02673 83%2,647$73,854$502,200$411 cheaper homes ($148K less) · smaller
Silverton, OR 97381 83%429$89,383$539,600$313 cheaper homes ($111K less) · smaller · younger residents
Port Angeles, WA 98362 83%646$70,123$403,300$298 cheaper homes ($247K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Olympia, WA 98506 83%573$91,596$490,900$298 cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller
Vancouver, WA 98664 83%470$85,369$467,200$296 cheaper homes ($183K less) · younger residents
Neptune, NJ 07753 82%2,476$95,712$425,800$371 cheaper homes ($225K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Riverhead, NY 11901 82%2,537$85,061$453,800$397 cheaper homes ($197K less) · less walkable
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 82%2,473$86,193$437,500$368 cheaper homes ($213K less) · smaller
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317 82%2,515$93,603$495,000$298 cheaper homes ($156K less) · younger residents
Sandpoint, ID 83864 82%688$70,496$516,500$381 cheaper homes ($134K less) · 5 min shorter commute · less walkable
Jacksonville, OR 97530 82%248$89,239$617,400$313 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller · less walkable
Lakewood, WA 98498 82%575$91,664$506,300$324 cheaper homes ($144K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Saugus, MA 01906 81%2,597$101,539$603,400$393 cheaper homes ($47K less) · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Peabody, MA 01960 81%2,598$96,501$596,700$406 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
South Yarmouth, MA 02664 81%2,649$82,125$551,400$474 cheaper homes ($99K less) · smaller · older residents

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.