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 Chester, CA 96020

Chester: median income $50,489, home value $350,200, $268/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Clarkdale, AZ 86324 80%630$46,813$374,400$280 larger · less walkable
Port Orford, OR 97465 80%240$43,777$342,100$273 less walkable
Ocean Shores, WA 98569 80%484$58,378$380,700$282 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · newer homes
Waldport, OR 97394 78%318$60,660$374,200$301 larger · 6 min longer commute · less walkable
Lottsburg, VA 22511 76%2,377$48,988$342,600$252 smaller · less walkable
Edgewater, FL 32132 75%2,398$52,181$252,300$226 cheaper homes ($98K less) · larger · younger residents
Rockaway Beach, OR 97136 74%392$66,106$375,000$372 younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Rangeley, ME 04970 73%2,549$60,882$422,500$350 pricier homes ($72K more) · smaller · 9 min longer commute
Wilmington, VT 05363 73%2,471$68,843$284,200$196 cheaper homes ($66K less) · younger residents
Dubois, WY 82513 73%635$66,332$382,600$330 pricier homes ($32K more) · 7 min shorter commute · less walkable
Ocean Park, WA 98640 73%451$65,735$355,400$302 larger · more homeowners · more apartments and townhomes
Dillard, GA 30537 72%2,090$50,000$318,500$215 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller · less walkable
Golden, MO 65658 72%1,510$51,641$321,800$215 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller · less walkable
Saint Germain, WI 54558 71%1,636$59,718$261,000$345 cheaper homes ($89K less) · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Cedaredge, CO 81413 71%714$58,465$355,800$245 larger · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Long Beach, WA 98631 71%443$71,705$409,400$335 pricier homes ($59K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Cable, WI 54821 70%1,554$57,813$321,400$268 cheaper homes ($29K less) · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners
Walker, MN 56484 70%1,403$67,019$311,200$272 cheaper homes ($39K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Lakeside, OR 97449 70%273$66,000$316,700$272 cheaper homes ($34K less) · more homeowners · less walkable
Fryeburg, ME 04037 69%2,547$54,414$278,200$260 cheaper homes ($72K less) · larger · younger residents
Deer Isle, ME 04627 69%2,656$61,703$299,500$278 cheaper homes ($51K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Minocqua, WI 54548 69%1,623$69,569$336,400$288 larger · younger residents · less walkable
Siren, WI 54872 69%1,496$60,787$233,200$258 cheaper homes ($117K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Depoe Bay, OR 97341 69%345$66,331$337,400$363 more apartments and townhomes
Bandon, OR 97411 69%253$50,993$455,800$358 pricier homes ($106K more) · larger · younger residents

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.