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.

Reset

Towns most like Volcano, CA 95689

Volcano: median income $122,936, home value $454,400, $215/sq ft, 73-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cloudcroft, NM 88317 61%921$136,250$214,300$237 cheaper homes ($240K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Livermore, CO 80536 53%825$117,500$630,800$307 pricier homes ($176K more) · larger · 14 min shorter commute
Sopchoppy, FL 32358 51%2,129$75,179$295,700$321 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($159K less) · younger residents
Willow, AK 99688 50%2,040$77,197$297,000$261 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($157K less) · larger
Union, WA 98592 47%625$138,370$558,400$281 pricier homes ($104K more) · older residents · 18 min shorter commute
Port Bolivar, TX 77650 43%1,605$61,745$351,600$291 lower income ($61K less) · cheaper homes ($103K less) · larger
Mesquite, NV 89034 39%376$91,016$481,800$247 lower income ($32K less) · pricier homes ($27K more) · larger
Mount Bethel, PA 18343 38%2,397$80,491$326,300$185 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($128K less) · larger
Dingmans Ferry, PA 18328 37%2,402$86,561$238,900$167 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($216K less) · larger
Pomfret, MD 20675 32%2,333$127,269$483,700$201 pricier homes ($29K more) · younger residents · 25 min shorter commute
Suffolk, VA 23432 31%2,388$94,306$391,500$208 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($63K less) · 27 min shorter commute
Yoder, CO 80864 31%883$66,541$365,600$285 lower income ($56K less) · cheaper homes ($89K less) · younger residents
Terrell, NC 28682 30%2,179$129,390$436,600$190 26 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Hoodsport, WA 98548 30%632$68,452$315,000$295 lower income ($54K less) · cheaper homes ($139K less) · larger
Mico, TX 78056 29%1,382$119,946$553,500$171 pricier homes ($99K more) · larger · younger residents
Cataldo, ID 83810 29%661$132,344$570,600$317 pricier homes ($116K more) · older residents · 27 min shorter commute
Allyn, WA 98524 29%624$99,483$526,800$306 pricier homes ($72K more) · larger · younger residents
Hewitt, NJ 07421 28%2,432$129,800$420,000$333 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger · younger residents
Cheltenham, MD 20623 28%2,340$146,058$494,500$209 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger · younger residents
Linden, VA 22642 28%2,274$114,282$361,700$230 cheaper homes ($93K less) · larger · younger residents
Wells, VT 05774 27%2,463$76,667$253,200$212 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($201K less) · younger residents
Burns, WY 82053 27%883$115,486$260,000$173 cheaper homes ($194K less) · younger residents · 27 min shorter commute
Dixon, NM 87527 27%824$65,461$406,300$173 lower income ($57K less) · cheaper homes ($48K less) · younger residents
Rixeyville, VA 22737 26%2,280$99,177$401,000$314 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · younger residents
Robertsville, MO 63072 26%1,606$80,333$240,700$198 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($214K less) · larger

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.