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.

Reset

Towns most like Dunsmuir, CA 96025

Dunsmuir: median income $46,036, home value $282,900, $177/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Fowler, CO 81039 78%992$47,143$155,000$127 cheaper homes ($128K less)
Peckville, PA 18452 76%2,391$56,438$203,100$175 cheaper homes ($80K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Bomoseen, VT 05732 75%2,471$43,462$257,800$191 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller · newer homes
South Bend, WA 98586 75%384$50,893$261,000$213 less walkable · newer homes
Eastport, ME 04631 73%2,747$45,573$179,800$146 cheaper homes ($103K less) · smaller · older residents
New Lebanon, NY 12125 73%2,483$55,625$275,900$211 smaller · more homeowners · less walkable
Mobile, AL 36607 73%2,029$42,772$169,000$155 cheaper homes ($114K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Riddle, OR 97469 72%132$57,444$248,500$184 cheaper homes ($34K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Wallace, ID 83873 71%534$45,852$278,500$170 7 min shorter commute · less walkable
Superior, AZ 85173 71%822$46,128$147,300$202 cheaper homes ($136K less) · 6 min longer commute · less walkable
Windsor, VT 05089 68%2,513$55,633$228,100$242 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger · less walkable
Anaconda, MT 59711 68%575$58,157$237,200$189 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger · less walkable
Thomaston, ME 04861 67%2,658$56,435$271,700$237 older residents · 10 min shorter commute · less walkable
Bisbee, AZ 85603 67%964$47,680$207,600$208 cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger · less walkable
Lancaster, NH 03584 66%2,537$66,768$209,500$163 cheaper homes ($73K less) · larger · younger residents
Springdale, PA 15144 66%2,198$67,520$156,100$134 cheaper homes ($127K less) · larger
Conyngham, PA 18219 66%2,377$52,566$236,200— cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller · younger residents
Scranton, PA 18519 66%2,389$58,500$181,000$142 cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger · younger residents
Thornton, IL 60476 66%1,785$59,647$155,100$175 cheaper homes ($128K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Concordia, MO 64020 66%1,517$59,269$201,500$138 cheaper homes ($81K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Funkstown, MD 21734 65%2,321$61,392$277,800$201 smaller · more apartments and townhomes · less walkable
Alma, WI 54610 65%1,551$61,563$207,000$194 cheaper homes ($76K less) · less walkable
West Rutland, VT 05777 64%2,480$64,044$214,700$173 cheaper homes ($68K less) · larger · more homeowners
Rouses Point, NY 12979 64%2,443$45,850$190,900$130 cheaper homes ($92K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Conway, PA 15027 64%2,173$65,466$178,600$99 cheaper homes ($104K less) · younger residents · newer homes

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.