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 Cool, CA 95614

Cool: median income $133,426, home value $584,600, $262/sq ft, 40-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pine, CO 80470 94%836$135,682$681,300$304 pricier homes ($97K more)
Elbert, CO 80106 92%880$136,852$748,800$295 pricier homes ($164K more)
Holmes, NY 12531 91%2,472$129,028$475,400$312 cheaper homes ($109K less) · smaller
Kintnersville, PA 18930 91%2,408$127,072$524,000$253 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller
Port Tobacco, MD 20677 90%2,346$165,764$576,700$204 higher income ($32K more) · smaller
Queenstown, MD 21658 90%2,384$128,274$483,200$300 cheaper homes ($101K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Grant, FL 32949 90%2,431$130,651$580,600$250 5 min shorter commute · newer homes
Bluemont, VA 20135 89%2,294$114,219$573,500$347 Very close on everything we compare
Cheltenham, MD 20623 89%2,352$146,058$494,500$209 cheaper homes ($90K less) · 5 min longer commute
Chester, NH 03036 88%2,574$142,212$552,300$298 cheaper homes ($32K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Dunbarton, NH 03046 88%2,553$124,348$484,100$272 cheaper homes ($101K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Catlett, VA 20119 88%2,313$115,757$560,700$260 more renters
Shady Side, MD 20764 88%2,368$118,857$432,700$298 cheaper homes ($152K less)
White Hall, MD 21161 88%2,351$108,094$472,600$287 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($112K less) · younger residents
Campbell Hall, NY 10916 87%2,444$135,556$492,400$295 cheaper homes ($92K less) · younger residents
Port Republic, MD 20676 87%2,373$156,657$509,900$270 cheaper homes ($75K less) · younger residents
Sunderland, MD 20689 87%2,368$161,833$490,500$205 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($94K less) · smaller
Lyndeborough, NH 03082 86%2,548$120,313$397,700$220 cheaper homes ($187K less) · smaller
Blairstown, NJ 07825 86%2,414$123,785$423,400$258 cheaper homes ($161K less) · larger
New Windsor, MD 21776 86%2,326$133,409$461,600$214 cheaper homes ($123K less) · larger · younger residents
Beaverdam, VA 23015 86%2,326$113,771$442,900$257 cheaper homes ($142K less) · younger residents
Lanexa, VA 23089 86%2,373$108,802$400,600$252 cheaper homes ($184K less)
Geneva, FL 32732 86%2,373$119,205$487,600$280 cheaper homes ($97K less) · younger residents
Rochester, MA 02770 85%2,610$120,320$601,200$348 younger residents
Candia, NH 03034 85%2,569$131,350$412,700$294 cheaper homes ($172K less) · 6 min shorter commute

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.