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 Colfax, CA 95713

Colfax: median income $87,839, home value $487,000, $312/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Belfair, WA 98528 94%586$91,058$430,200$303 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Carver, MA 02330 93%2,607$91,250$434,200$357 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Buxton, ME 04093 93%2,594$100,144$356,800$332 cheaper homes ($130K less)
Street, MD 21154 92%2,357$97,658$455,400$257 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Stevensville, MT 59870 92%622$80,325$515,600$354 pricier homes ($29K more)
Platteville, CO 80651 92%862$81,586$474,700$277 smaller
Gardnerville, NV 89460 92%67$92,292$501,700$368 larger
Priest River, ID 83856 91%660$75,285$427,900$333 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Estacada, OR 97023 90%435$76,762$562,600$280 pricier homes ($76K more)
Tenino, WA 98589 90%546$83,855$438,700$317 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Granite Falls, WA 98252 89%624$98,370$520,700$375 pricier homes ($34K more) · younger residents
Toledo, WA 98591 89%517$78,952$471,100$324 smaller
Middleboro, MA 02346 88%2,601$97,056$468,700$299 larger
Epping, NH 03042 88%2,575$104,220$436,900$319 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Middletown, VA 22645 88%2,268$90,875$419,900$219 cheaper homes ($67K less) · smaller
Silt, CO 81652 88%711$101,038$530,000$310 pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller · younger residents
Melba, ID 83641 88%375$84,730$425,700$296 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller
Tacoma, WA 98443 88%566$105,035$519,100$320 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller · older homes
Elma, WA 98541 88%561$78,816$390,000$282 cheaper homes ($97K less)
Highland, MI 48357 87%1,949$94,954$360,700$203 cheaper homes ($126K less)
Boring, OR 97009 87%445$106,650$647,500$335 pricier homes ($161K more)
Scappoose, OR 97056 87%472$94,209$469,800$268 5 min shorter commute · more walkable
Castle Rock, WA 98611 87%507$86,322$425,700$273 cheaper homes ($61K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Raymond, NH 03077 86%2,569$104,597$370,400$315 cheaper homes ($117K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Taneytown, MD 21787 86%2,315$91,682$355,000$208 cheaper homes ($132K less) · younger residents

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.