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 Forest Ranch, CA 95942

Forest Ranch: median income $116,400, home value $448,000, $226/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hampton, MN 55031 95%1,497$114,338$409,800$192 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Shenandoah Junction, WV 25442 93%2,310$111,419$393,600$200 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Welch, MN 55089 93%1,508$108,750$384,800$238 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Templeton, MA 01468 91%2,548$113,427$384,500$271 cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger
Glenville, PA 17329 90%2,355$121,309$331,000$203 cheaper homes ($117K less)
Burton, TX 77835 90%1,562$109,917$394,700$281 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Columbia City, OR 97018 90%419$96,750$460,000$294 Very close on everything we compare
Newman Lake, WA 99025 90%588$118,712$517,100$251 pricier homes ($69K more) · larger
Hampton, CT 06247 89%2,561$108,854$293,000$263 cheaper homes ($155K less)
Zirconia, NC 28790 89%2,155$97,042$455,000$259 larger
Helenville, WI 53137 89%1,712$116,550$366,200$251 cheaper homes ($82K less) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Brooklyn, WI 53521 89%1,677$108,036$391,100$263 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger
Center Barnstead, NH 03225 88%2,576$111,660$368,400$327 cheaper homes ($80K less) · larger
Mohrsville, PA 19541 88%2,383$107,625$312,400$184 cheaper homes ($136K less) · larger
Troy, VA 22974 88%2,315$112,344$368,900$271 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger
Lake Helen, FL 32744 88%2,401$112,599$453,700$238 larger · more renters
Pegram, TN 37143 88%1,892$96,929$392,400$234 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger
Little Suamico, WI 54141 88%1,740$101,553$288,400$216 cheaper homes ($160K less)
Audubon, MN 56511 88%1,370$89,875$401,900$261 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($46K less)
Spangle, WA 99031 88%564$98,182$423,500$176 smaller
Estell Manor, NJ 08319 87%2,464$100,278$315,000$219 cheaper homes ($133K less) · smaller
Pequea, PA 17565 87%2,377$125,313$340,100$247 cheaper homes ($108K less)
Washington Boro, PA 17582 87%2,370$100,263$304,800$211 cheaper homes ($143K less) · older homes
Zionsville, PA 18092 87%2,408$112,721$422,200$219 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · older residents
Leonard, MI 48367 87%1,991$110,405$397,900$192 cheaper homes ($50K 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.