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 Pine Grove, CA 95665

Pine Grove: median income $87,366, home value $418,900, $237/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Chesapeake City, MD 21915 93%2,384$95,875$376,500$252 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Bath, NC 27808 93%2,409$90,472$372,500$295 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller
Neosho, WI 53059 92%1,702$91,114$342,800$232 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller
Alfred, ME 04002 91%2,591$84,537$352,100$293 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger
Canterbury, CT 06331 91%2,549$103,198$334,200$243 cheaper homes ($85K less)
Barto, PA 19504 91%2,385$98,859$388,300$225 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Sharpsburg, MD 21782 91%2,285$94,130$311,600$207 cheaper homes ($107K less)
Millersport, OH 43046 91%2,030$86,864$281,300$267 cheaper homes ($138K less) · smaller
Howard Lake, MN 55349 91%1,438$99,444$321,300$192 cheaper homes ($98K less)
Merlin, OR 97532 91%320$81,167$445,400$281 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Limington, ME 04049 90%2,590$84,675$295,600$257 cheaper homes ($123K less)
East China, MI 48054 90%2,005$83,241$301,400$199 cheaper homes ($118K less) · larger
Campbellsport, WI 53010 90%1,715$95,391$307,000$235 cheaper homes ($112K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Street, MD 21154 89%2,354$97,658$455,400$257 pricier homes ($37K more)
Boonsboro, MD 21713 89%2,287$96,199$369,200$207 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger · younger residents
Murrayville, GA 30564 89%2,049$76,188$333,000$207 cheaper homes ($86K less)
Joelton, TN 37080 89%1,848$87,963$333,700$232 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger
Glenwood City, WI 54013 89%1,529$87,500$307,600$179 cheaper homes ($111K less)
East Brookfield, MA 01515 88%2,540$81,042$381,200$286 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller
Andover, NH 03216 88%2,538$88,311$358,800$194 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller · younger residents
Cresco, PA 18326 88%2,390$85,352$285,300$215 cheaper homes ($134K less) · younger residents
Tafton, PA 18464 88%2,391$77,277$312,600$253 cheaper homes ($106K less) · smaller
Earleville, MD 21919 88%2,380$106,500$373,200$224 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Hanover, VA 23069 88%2,335$83,453$356,400$274 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Zirconia, NC 28790 88%2,109$97,042$455,000$259 pricier homes ($36K more) · newer 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.