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 Paradise, CA 95969

Paradise: median income $69,067, home value $455,500, $287/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Johnson City, TX 78636 92%1,462$72,663$532,600$263 pricier homes ($77K more) · smaller
Llano, TX 78643 91%1,435$68,365$362,600$239 cheaper homes ($93K less)
Wickenburg, AZ 85390 91%630$68,591$499,200$269 pricier homes ($44K more) · older residents
Flat Rock, NC 28731 90%2,154$66,309$402,300$253 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Port Saint Joe, FL 32456 90%2,155$64,681$378,500$285 cheaper homes ($77K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Bokeelia, FL 33922 90%2,431$71,164$355,800$269 cheaper homes ($100K less) · smaller
Walker, MN 56484 90%1,439$67,019$311,200$272 cheaper homes ($144K less) · smaller
Beaufort, NC 28516 88%2,472$66,057$315,400$270 cheaper homes ($140K less)
Maggie Valley, NC 28751 88%2,111$69,057$313,500$292 cheaper homes ($142K less) · smaller
Blue Ridge, GA 30513 88%2,061$56,331$358,500$331 cheaper homes ($97K less)
Flagler Beach, FL 32136 88%2,386$78,818$471,000$280 Very close on everything we compare
Vonore, TN 37885 88%2,053$78,793$335,100$270 cheaper homes ($120K less)
Cornville, AZ 86325 88%636$74,679$442,800$272 smaller
Minocqua, WI 54548 87%1,657$69,569$336,400$288 cheaper homes ($119K less) · older homes
Custer, SD 57730 87%974$83,469$378,800$279 cheaper homes ($77K less) · older homes
Waldport, OR 97394 87%345$60,660$374,200$301 cheaper homes ($81K less) · smaller
Frankford, DE 19945 86%2,460$87,638$443,100$235 Very close on everything we compare
Selbyville, DE 19975 86%2,464$88,568$462,700$280 Very close on everything we compare
Columbus, NC 28722 86%2,165$67,760$307,300$225 cheaper homes ($148K less)
Hiawassee, GA 30546 86%2,092$59,234$295,000$248 cheaper homes ($161K less)
Spring Hill, FL 34607 86%2,340$66,422$398,900$282 cheaper homes ($57K less) · 7 min longer commute
Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657 86%1,453$91,452$483,200$281 pricier homes ($28K more)
Mancos, CO 81328 86%737$72,522$412,700$293 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller
Townsend, TN 37882 85%2,072$69,012$344,500$315 cheaper homes ($111K less) · smaller
Plains, MT 59859 85%630$64,846$429,200$278 cheaper homes ($26K 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.