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 Willows, CA 95988

Willows: median income $66,339, home value $297,200, $241/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Payette, ID 83661 95%417$59,351$302,300$250 Very close on everything we compare
Wendell, ID 83355 93%451$65,764$283,300$227 smaller
Fort Morgan, CO 80701 91%978$70,302$347,600$189 pricier homes ($50K more) · larger
Madras, OR 97741 91%357$70,983$334,800$247 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger
Ephrata, WA 98823 91%552$73,074$267,300$223 cheaper homes ($30K less) · younger residents
Gooding, ID 83330 90%457$60,842$254,900$235 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Brush, CO 80723 89%987$75,691$306,500$167 Very close on everything we compare
Craig, CO 81625 89%780$75,812$295,500$190 Very close on everything we compare
Vale, OR 97918 89%402$63,342$298,100$219 smaller
Brewster, WA 98812 89%606$59,297$354,500$273 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller
Soap Lake, WA 98851 89%560$63,333$242,800$234 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
South Glens Falls, NY 12803 88%2,498$82,057$231,300$229 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Commerce, GA 30529 88%2,159$62,168$242,500$186 cheaper homes ($55K less) · newer homes
Newport, MN 55055 88%1,533$71,979$378,100$245 pricier homes ($81K more) · smaller
Milton Freewater, OR 97862 88%485$54,786$274,900$220 more walkable
Centralia, WA 98531 88%498$63,406$343,000$250 pricier homes ($46K more) · larger
Grandview, WA 98930 88%479$64,583$303,500$251 larger · younger residents
Akron, PA 17501 87%2,416$78,182$258,900$199 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller
New Holland, PA 17557 87%2,423$82,491$286,500$194 larger
Quarryville, PA 17566 87%2,423$78,108$306,200$233 more homeowners
Bowling Green, VA 22427 87%2,405$81,488$315,700$214 smaller
Butner, NC 27509 87%2,362$73,136$215,200$191 cheaper homes ($82K less) · older residents
Watertown, WI 53098 87%1,746$74,431$253,600$216 cheaper homes ($44K less) · older residents
Ronan, MT 59864 87%687$61,978$297,700$274 5 min shorter commute
Prosser, WA 99350 87%479$81,014$338,500$244 pricier homes ($41K more) · 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.