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 Sutter Creek, CA 95685

Sutter Creek: median income $83,878, home value $569,100, $283/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Johnson City, TX 78636 88%1,392$72,663$532,600$263 cheaper homes ($37K less) · newer homes
Palisade, CO 81526 87%671$87,500$501,800$337 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Aurora, OR 97002 87%482$70,137$530,100$339 cheaper homes ($39K less) · younger residents
Carson City, NV 89705 86%69$79,901$470,200$351 cheaper homes ($99K less) · newer homes
Custer, SD 57730 84%973$83,469$378,800$279 cheaper homes ($190K less)
Lakeside, MT 59922 84%741$87,237$657,500$298 pricier homes ($88K more) · smaller · newer homes
Sublimity, OR 97385 84%456$84,796$494,600$308 cheaper homes ($75K less) · younger residents · newer homes
West Yarmouth, MA 02673 83%2,645$73,854$502,200$411 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 83%2,572$94,349$548,600$347 Very close on everything we compare
Lake George, NY 12845 83%2,450$100,774$355,900$325 cheaper homes ($213K less)
Minocqua, WI 54548 83%1,659$69,569$336,400$288 cheaper homes ($233K less)
Llano, TX 78643 83%1,365$68,365$362,600$239 cheaper homes ($207K less) · larger
Gold Hill, OR 97525 83%302$72,025$450,200$246 cheaper homes ($119K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Meredith, NH 03253 82%2,557$84,719$482,700$354 cheaper homes ($86K less)
New Buffalo, MI 49117 82%1,803$75,114$488,000$351 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Darby, MT 59829 82%624$63,650$437,900$315 cheaper homes ($131K less) · smaller
Paonia, CO 81428 82%712$75,799$432,700$279 cheaper homes ($136K less)
Mount Hood Parkdale, OR 97041 82%491$82,679$705,600$416 pricier homes ($137K more) · younger residents
Jacksonville, OR 97530 82%285$89,239$617,400$313 pricier homes ($48K more) · larger · younger residents
Eliot, ME 03903 81%2,598$101,522$498,900$363 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger
Kersey, CO 80644 81%878$97,847$409,100$276 cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Dolores, CO 81323 81%674$75,393$392,000$291 cheaper homes ($177K less) · younger residents
Carson City, NV 89703 81%76$85,230$626,500$330 pricier homes ($57K more) · larger · more walkable
Cascade Locks, OR 97014 81%504$75,000$387,700$246 cheaper homes ($181K less) · smaller
Bernardston, MA 01337 80%2,514$85,045$338,800$233 cheaper homes ($230K 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.