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 95949

Grass Valley: median income $98,181, home value $550,800, $302/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Westport, MA 02790 92%2,601$97,250$507,900$350 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Gardnerville, NV 89460 90%75$92,292$501,700$368 cheaper homes ($49K less) · younger residents
Barnegat, NJ 08005 89%2,471$93,584$395,800$267 cheaper homes ($155K less) · newer homes
Waterford, WI 53185 89%1,724$103,225$384,600$246 cheaper homes ($166K less)
Charlestown, RI 02813 88%2,576$109,404$525,500$412 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller
Berlin, MD 21811 88%2,448$90,082$388,900$265 cheaper homes ($162K less)
Kennebunkport, ME 04046 86%2,605$102,529$586,100$434 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller
Greensboro, GA 30642 86%2,129$95,527$496,400$262 cheaper homes ($54K less) · newer homes
Merritt Island, FL 32952 86%2,420$102,726$425,700$253 cheaper homes ($125K less)
Loudon, TN 37774 86%2,016$87,718$365,100$253 cheaper homes ($186K less)
Mashpee, MA 02649 85%2,631$95,299$562,200$420 Very close on everything we compare
Seneca, SC 29672 85%2,112$90,650$482,100$271 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller
Waleska, GA 30183 85%2,036$94,567$451,100$235 cheaper homes ($100K less) · smaller · newer homes
Terrebonne, OR 97760 85%364$87,603$486,700$359 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller · newer homes
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 84%2,567$94,349$548,600$347 smaller
Wells, ME 04090 84%2,600$88,024$485,300$380 cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Fairview, NC 28730 84%2,124$102,900$433,300$267 cheaper homes ($118K less) · smaller
Dousman, WI 53118 84%1,710$108,772$372,600$274 cheaper homes ($178K less) · smaller · younger residents
Corrales, NM 87048 84%840$102,004$574,000$319 smaller
Brush Prairie, WA 98606 84%462$115,151$735,500$321 pricier homes ($185K more) · smaller · younger residents
Westminster, MA 01473 83%2,546$106,331$422,000$302 cheaper homes ($129K less) · smaller · younger residents
East Falmouth, MA 02536 83%2,628$100,497$558,600$495 Very close on everything we compare
Tiverton, RI 02878 83%2,596$106,036$411,900$306 cheaper homes ($139K less) · older homes
Eliot, ME 03903 83%2,594$101,522$498,900$363 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller
Dagsboro, DE 19939 83%2,443$89,806$420,700$245 cheaper homes ($130K less) · smaller · newer homes

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.