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 Cottonwood, CA 96022

Cottonwood: median income $89,338, home value $366,700, $261/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Chehalis, WA 98532 97%434$89,910$427,100$286 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger
Hartford, WI 53027 94%1,748$91,150$332,500$222 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Orange, VA 22960 93%2,348$85,391$321,200$202 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Decatur, TX 76234 93%1,450$93,727$344,700$199 Very close on everything we compare
Brooklyn, CT 06234 92%2,588$96,207$315,200$243 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller
Dayville, CT 06241 92%2,591$88,389$298,200$234 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller
Strasburg, PA 17579 92%2,409$91,621$349,400$240 smaller
Rising Sun, MD 21911 92%2,421$104,673$359,000$220 smaller
Seymour, TN 37865 92%2,104$88,231$312,600$216 cheaper homes ($54K less)
East Troy, WI 53120 92%1,750$96,345$336,300$260 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
Elkhorn, WI 53121 92%1,743$85,643$313,500$222 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Laurel, MT 59044 92%776$87,648$346,500$231 Very close on everything we compare
Fallon, NV 89406 92%198$79,163$329,900$256 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210 91%2,497$90,013$370,500$283 Very close on everything we compare
Greencastle, PA 17225 91%2,332$88,457$304,100$171 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Denver, PA 17517 91%2,407$99,202$296,700$204 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Quarryville, PA 17566 91%2,412$78,108$306,200$233 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Kewaskum, WI 53040 91%1,756$96,096$326,100$210 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller
Burlington, WI 53105 91%1,757$88,770$318,500$227 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger
Edgerton, WI 53534 91%1,716$89,045$294,900$230 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Fort Worth, TX 76118 91%1,483$94,530$326,400$195 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Castle Rock, WA 98611 91%409$86,322$425,700$273 pricier homes ($59K more) · smaller
Kenai, AK 99611 91%1,860$79,757$308,500$245 cheaper homes ($58K less) · younger residents
Soldotna, AK 99669 91%1,852$80,980$320,200$269 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Mechanicsville, VA 23111 90%2,398$98,969$348,200$232 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.