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 Somerset, CA 95684

Somerset: median income $87,175, home value $621,700, $256/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cascade, MT 59421 88%749$78,125$377,900$267 cheaper homes ($244K less)
Eagle Creek, OR 97022 88%476$92,945$630,800$309 Very close on everything we compare
Cheshire, OR 97419 87%412$80,234$568,900$255 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller
Captain Cook, HI 96704 86%2,486$86,941$662,200$294 pricier homes ($41K more) · larger · younger residents
Boyce, VA 22620 85%2,270$99,896$539,300$224 cheaper homes ($82K less)
Columbia, VA 23038 85%2,285$87,083$434,400$190 cheaper homes ($187K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Crosslake, MN 56442 85%1,449$79,896$479,800$349 cheaper homes ($142K less) · older residents
Silverlake, WA 98645 85%545$101,429$509,500$220 cheaper homes ($112K less) · more homeowners
Waleska, GA 30183 84%2,011$94,567$451,100$235 cheaper homes ($171K less) · larger · newer homes
Cove, OR 97824 84%486$80,263$413,700$267 cheaper homes ($208K less) · younger residents
Georgetown, ME 04548 83%2,626$84,250$427,200$321 cheaper homes ($195K less) · smaller
Street, MD 21154 83%2,347$97,658$455,400$257 cheaper homes ($166K less) · larger · younger residents
Galena, MD 21635 83%2,378$101,618$402,000$258 cheaper homes ($220K less) · younger residents
Chesapeake City, MD 21915 83%2,377$95,875$376,500$252 cheaper homes ($245K less)
Goode, VA 24556 83%2,226$87,250$399,000$204 cheaper homes ($223K less) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Bath, NC 27808 83%2,404$90,472$372,500$295 cheaper homes ($249K less)
Zirconia, NC 28790 83%2,105$97,042$455,000$259 cheaper homes ($167K less) · younger residents
Merrimac, WI 53561 83%1,638$91,103$427,600$251 cheaper homes ($194K less) · younger residents
Ottertail, MN 56571 83%1,378$85,865$363,100$291 cheaper homes ($259K less) · smaller
Vergas, MN 56587 83%1,371$88,000$367,600$290 cheaper homes ($254K less) · smaller
Divide, CO 80814 83%829$80,500$466,800$254 cheaper homes ($155K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Whitewater, CO 81527 83%657$76,815$425,600$328 cheaper homes ($196K less) · smaller
Lyons, OR 97358 83%438$95,391$491,500$325 cheaper homes ($130K less) · 5 min longer commute
White Stone, VA 22578 82%2,381$80,783$441,600$252 cheaper homes ($180K less)
Graford, TX 76449 82%1,304$72,813$398,700$299 cheaper homes ($223K less) · 6 min longer 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.