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 Applegate, CA 95703

Applegate: median income $100,214, home value $603,900, $351/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Collbran, CO 81624 92%700$91,739$472,600$431 cheaper homes ($131K less) · smaller
Tacoma, WA 98443 92%571$105,035$519,100$320 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger
Hayden, CO 81639 91%736$110,404$443,600$354 cheaper homes ($160K less)
Forestdale, MA 02644 90%2,627$108,158$485,700$361 cheaper homes ($118K less)
Gaston, OR 97119 90%459$115,515$629,000$300 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger
Sanbornton, NH 03269 89%2,546$107,083$450,000$319 cheaper homes ($154K less)
North Berwick, ME 03906 89%2,592$105,156$432,900$325 cheaper homes ($171K less) · larger
Beavercreek, OR 97004 89%439$112,667$721,300$425 pricier homes ($117K more) · larger
Columbia City, OR 97018 89%485$96,750$460,000$294 cheaper homes ($144K less)
Virginia Beach, VA 23457 88%2,435$116,250$571,000$312 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger · younger residents
Bonner, MT 59823 88%652$82,813$474,100$349 cheaper homes ($130K less)
Corbett, OR 97019 88%455$104,022$686,400$309 pricier homes ($83K more)
Mulino, OR 97042 88%436$118,045$687,700$341 pricier homes ($84K more)
Stevenson, WA 98648 88%464$96,696$555,500$380 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Lake Helen, FL 32744 87%2,360$112,599$453,700$238 cheaper homes ($150K less)
Hawi, HI 96719 87%2,439$79,471$612,100— 5 min longer commute
Kealakekua, HI 96750 87%2,475$92,576$697,600$283 pricier homes ($94K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Chichester, NH 03258 86%2,559$108,906$410,100$271 cheaper homes ($194K less)
Voluntown, CT 06384 86%2,561$106,518$354,900$311 cheaper homes ($249K less)
Fort Calhoun, NE 68023 86%1,323$116,287$389,600$333 cheaper homes ($214K less)
Carlton, OR 97111 86%448$108,453$520,400$314 cheaper homes ($84K less) · larger
Fall Creek, OR 97438 86%353$125,156$584,900$319 smaller
Suquamish, WA 98392 86%609$85,530$452,400$367 cheaper homes ($152K less)
West Creek, NJ 08092 85%2,468$110,509$496,900$322 cheaper homes ($107K less) · more walkable
Brookhaven, NY 11719 85%2,521$126,250$658,700$410 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($55K more)

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.