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 Sutter, CA 95982

Sutter: median income $96,224, home value $417,000, $361/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Collbran, CO 81624 91%741$91,739$472,600$431 pricier homes ($56K more) · smaller
Hayden, CO 81639 91%775$110,404$443,600$354 pricier homes ($27K more)
Franklin, VT 05457 89%2,500$96,875$279,200$297 cheaper homes ($138K less) · smaller
Shelbyville, MI 49344 88%1,888$84,661$313,400$307 cheaper homes ($104K less)
Deer Park, WI 54007 88%1,553$85,398$309,400— cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller
Richmond, MN 56368 88%1,450$97,407$321,100$254 cheaper homes ($96K less) · larger
La Salle, CO 80645 88%908$87,609$427,200$256 larger · younger residents
Cascade, ID 83611 88%494$77,411$429,400$335 Very close on everything we compare
Hollis Center, ME 04042 87%2,628$95,950$338,900$270 cheaper homes ($78K less) · larger
Cordova, MD 21625 87%2,430$83,250$372,200$374 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Julian, NC 27283 87%2,298$90,402$290,700$251 cheaper homes ($126K less)
Rubicon, WI 53078 87%1,743$94,688$364,200$345 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller · older residents
Kansasville, WI 53139 87%1,762$99,635$305,500$285 cheaper homes ($112K less)
Brussels, WI 54204 87%1,783$79,803$379,800$299 cheaper homes ($37K less)
New Plymouth, ID 83655 87%418$84,542$371,300$261 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Jefferson, OR 97352 87%390$107,000$441,700$313 larger · younger residents
North Franklin, CT 06254 86%2,581$105,000$326,200$246 cheaper homes ($91K less)
Voluntown, CT 06384 86%2,596$106,518$354,900$311 cheaper homes ($62K less) · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Malone, WI 53049 86%1,750$93,424$286,000$261 cheaper homes ($131K less)
Brooklyn, WI 53521 86%1,697$108,036$391,100$263 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Audubon, MN 56511 86%1,399$89,875$401,900$261 more homeowners
Pateros, WA 98846 86%618$84,464$338,200$276 cheaper homes ($79K less) · smaller
North Berwick, ME 03906 85%2,626$105,156$432,900$325 larger · 7 min longer commute
Dorothy, NJ 08317 85%2,481$106,696$326,300$272 cheaper homes ($91K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Madison, VA 22727 85%2,320$84,857$379,900$228 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger

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.