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 Oroville, CA 95966

Oroville: median income $65,586, home value $333,100, $228/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Canon City, CO 81212 97%875$64,235$329,000$226 Very close on everything we compare
Lenoir City, TN 37771 94%2,037$66,938$279,600$214 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
Canton, NC 28716 93%2,119$63,141$237,800$240 cheaper homes ($95K less) · smaller
Clinton, TN 37716 93%2,035$64,915$244,000$210 cheaper homes ($89K less)
Faribault, MN 55021 92%1,480$68,820$280,200$169 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Colville, WA 99114 92%653$62,711$301,600$225 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
Waynesboro, VA 22980 91%2,273$63,943$268,100$198 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Athens, TN 37303 91%2,026$62,078$232,100$173 cheaper homes ($101K less)
Delavan, WI 53115 91%1,714$72,304$251,900$234 cheaper homes ($81K less) · smaller
Elkton, VA 22827 90%2,281$70,519$252,500$194 cheaper homes ($81K less) · smaller
Smithfield, NC 27577 90%2,357$62,758$260,300$170 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Dallas, NC 28034 90%2,211$62,083$257,200$187 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller · newer homes
Centralia, WA 98531 90%506$63,406$343,000$250 Very close on everything we compare
Sanford, ME 04073 89%2,599$72,917$282,900$269 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller
Lincolnton, NC 28092 89%2,208$60,984$245,300$184 cheaper homes ($88K less)
Eustis, FL 32726 89%2,369$63,152$255,400$181 cheaper homes ($78K less)
Tullahoma, TN 37388 89%1,943$59,537$249,900$193 cheaper homes ($83K less)
Watertown, WI 53098 89%1,707$74,431$253,600$216 cheaper homes ($80K less) · smaller
Brainerd, MN 56401 89%1,455$73,128$261,600$192 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Sturgis, SD 57785 89%988$63,897$296,100$221 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Emmett, ID 83617 89%399$65,291$429,100$284 pricier homes ($96K more) · 5 min longer commute
Kelso, WA 98626 89%466$75,528$368,900$269 pricier homes ($36K more) · more walkable
Waynesboro, PA 17268 88%2,312$73,161$237,000$164 cheaper homes ($96K less)
Seaford, DE 19973 88%2,434$64,387$278,300$202 cheaper homes ($55K less) · 5 min longer commute · newer homes
Newton, NC 28658 88%2,201$72,042$214,000$176 cheaper homes ($119K less)

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.