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 Pollock Pines, CA 95726

Pollock Pines: median income $91,128, home value $424,200, $259/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Buxton, ME 04093 94%2,583$100,144$356,800$332 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Boonsboro, MD 21713 93%2,274$96,199$369,200$207 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Belfair, WA 98528 92%610$91,058$430,200$303 Very close on everything we compare
Taneytown, MD 21787 91%2,300$91,682$355,000$208 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Middletown, VA 22645 91%2,251$90,875$419,900$219 smaller
Highland, MI 48357 91%1,936$94,954$360,700$203 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Salem, WI 53168 91%1,708$97,035$300,200$243 cheaper homes ($124K less)
Platteville, CO 80651 91%844$81,586$474,700$277 pricier homes ($51K more) · smaller · newer homes
Tacoma, WA 98443 91%590$105,035$519,100$320 pricier homes ($95K more) · smaller
Monson, MA 01057 90%2,513$98,508$345,300$239 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Street, MD 21154 90%2,341$97,658$455,400$257 pricier homes ($31K more) · older residents
Scappoose, OR 97056 90%498$94,209$469,800$268 pricier homes ($46K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Carver, MA 02330 89%2,594$91,250$434,200$357 Very close on everything we compare
Smithsburg, MD 21783 89%2,279$100,750$339,800$174 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Thurmont, MD 21788 89%2,289$98,856$379,200$208 cheaper homes ($45K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Clatskanie, OR 97016 89%522$79,375$336,000$232 cheaper homes ($88K less)
Elma, WA 98541 89%587$78,816$390,000$282 cheaper homes ($34K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Castle Rock, WA 98611 89%533$86,322$425,700$273 6 min shorter commute
East Taunton, MA 02718 88%2,581$109,500$469,200$300 pricier homes ($45K more)
Acushnet, MA 02743 88%2,589$89,593$434,000$288 7 min shorter commute · older homes
Bayville, NJ 08721 88%2,452$105,273$383,900$329 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger
Patterson, NY 12563 88%2,457$98,415$412,300$264 older homes
Littlestown, PA 17340 88%2,302$90,030$298,000$184 cheaper homes ($126K less)
Cresco, PA 18326 88%2,376$85,352$285,300$215 cheaper homes ($139K less) · smaller
Lake Helen, FL 32744 88%2,334$112,599$453,700$238 pricier homes ($30K more) · 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.