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 Penn Valley, CA 95946

Penn Valley: median income $84,795, home value $565,700, $257/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Divide, CO 80814 90%857$80,500$466,800$254 cheaper homes ($99K less) · smaller
Moneta, VA 24121 87%2,241$81,006$391,800$299 cheaper homes ($174K less) · newer homes
Florence, MT 59833 86%626$94,097$551,600$333 smaller · younger residents
Florissant, CO 80816 86%852$75,472$418,200$252 cheaper homes ($148K less) · smaller
Waretown, NJ 08758 85%2,477$96,900$486,300$266 cheaper homes ($79K less) · younger residents
Boyce, VA 22620 85%2,292$99,896$539,300$224 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · younger residents
Street, MD 21154 84%2,367$97,658$455,400$257 cheaper homes ($110K less) · smaller · younger residents
West End, NC 27376 84%2,288$74,598$349,300$208 cheaper homes ($216K less)
Coupeville, WA 98239 84%627$92,125$593,700$387 pricier homes ($28K more)
Westcliffe, CO 81252 83%853$69,527$401,900$258 cheaper homes ($164K less) · smaller · newer homes
Corrales, NM 87048 83%847$102,004$574,000$319 7 min shorter commute
Chepachet, RI 02814 82%2,570$110,764$390,500$298 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($175K less)
Kingston, NH 03848 82%2,586$105,330$492,900$317 cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Barto, PA 19504 82%2,397$98,859$388,300$225 cheaper homes ($177K less) · smaller · younger residents
Sherrills Ford, NC 28673 82%2,201$99,688$459,200$195 cheaper homes ($107K less) · newer homes
Thayne, WY 83127 82%590$87,743$482,700$325 cheaper homes ($83K less) · smaller · younger residents
Captain Cook, HI 96704 82%2,472$86,941$662,200$294 pricier homes ($97K more) · younger residents
Lanexa, VA 23089 81%2,381$108,802$400,600$252 cheaper homes ($165K less) · smaller
Pinetop, AZ 85935 81%717$73,333$437,200$326 cheaper homes ($129K less) · smaller · older residents
West Brookfield, MA 01585 80%2,542$87,857$344,000$273 cheaper homes ($222K less) · smaller
North Scituate, RI 02857 80%2,574$108,679$428,100$265 cheaper homes ($138K less) · older homes
Crosslake, MN 56442 80%1,455$79,896$479,800$349 cheaper homes ($86K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Bailey, CO 80421 80%840$98,452$578,700$316 younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Black Hawk, CO 80422 80%838$95,625$588,800$342 smaller · younger residents
Saluda, NC 28773 79%2,140$70,703$413,700$319 cheaper homes ($152K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute

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.