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 Grass Valley, CA 95945

Grass Valley: median income $65,989, home value $539,500, $336/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814 94%623$74,782$589,600$419 pricier homes ($50K more)
Port Angeles, WA 98362 92%627$70,123$403,300$298 cheaper homes ($136K less)
Seaside, OR 97138 91%492$60,411$483,800$387 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller
Lincoln City, OR 97367 86%422$58,472$424,300$350 cheaper homes ($115K less) · smaller
Colorado Springs, CO 80904 84%866$69,814$440,000$264 cheaper homes ($100K less) · more walkable
Newport, OR 97365 84%407$64,363$441,700$344 cheaper homes ($98K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Hyannis, MA 02601 83%2,634$61,143$440,100$406 cheaper homes ($99K less) · smaller · younger residents
Missoula, MT 59804 83%630$76,266$588,400$351 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller
Hamilton, MT 59840 82%597$61,752$428,100$343 cheaper homes ($111K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Grants Pass, OR 97526 82%256$61,019$399,700$251 cheaper homes ($140K less)
Talent, OR 97540 82%229$65,762$453,900$286 cheaper homes ($86K less) · smaller · newer homes
Easthampton, MA 01027 81%2,505$74,146$375,700$310 cheaper homes ($164K less) · smaller
Brevard, NC 28712 81%2,108$63,045$414,300$299 cheaper homes ($125K less) · less walkable
Traverse City, MI 49684 81%1,839$80,788$420,200$332 cheaper homes ($119K less)
Livingston, MT 59047 81%693$71,620$456,800$325 cheaper homes ($83K less) · smaller · younger residents
Sandpoint, ID 83864 81%667$70,496$516,500$381 more homeowners · less walkable · newer homes
Prescott, AZ 86301 81%571$72,652$515,400$313 older residents · newer homes
Tillamook, OR 97141 81%454$69,831$398,100$335 cheaper homes ($141K less) · smaller · younger residents
Sarasota, FL 34232 80%2,352$80,795$359,900$250 cheaper homes ($180K less)
Albuquerque, NM 87107 80%838$61,672$311,800$264 cheaper homes ($228K less)
Port Angeles, WA 98363 80%628$64,869$385,100$331 cheaper homes ($154K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Vancouver, WA 98664 80%450$85,369$467,200$296 cheaper homes ($72K less) · younger residents
Morehead City, NC 28557 79%2,438$68,528$362,800$249 cheaper homes ($177K less) · smaller · less walkable
Asheville, NC 28805 79%2,113$75,151$412,500$281 cheaper homes ($127K less)
Sarasota, FL 34231 79%2,352$69,925$386,900$270 cheaper homes ($153K less) · older residents · more walkable

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.