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 Etna, CA 96027

Etna: median income $64,308, home value $312,700, $236/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Milbridge, ME 04658 92%2,741$60,536$240,400$262 cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller
Ashton, ID 83420 92%614$69,286$337,700$228 pricier homes ($25K more)
Deer Isle, ME 04627 90%2,710$61,703$299,500$278 Very close on everything we compare
Choteau, MT 59422 90%690$67,500$256,500$184 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger · younger residents
Bay City, OR 97107 90%285$70,417$407,400$306 pricier homes ($95K more) · younger residents
Brant Lake, NY 12815 89%2,476$76,302$287,500$299 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller
Accident, MD 21520 89%2,274$59,852$298,600$236 younger residents
State Road, NC 28676 89%2,271$60,833$242,600$191 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger
Three Oaks, MI 49128 88%1,865$67,398$258,300$192 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
East New Market, MD 21631 87%2,467$73,864$306,700$198 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Regis, MT 59866 87%561$73,462$343,700$304 pricier homes ($31K more) · smaller
Del Norte, CO 81132 87%921$55,000$209,500$235 cheaper homes ($103K less) · larger
Pine Bluffs, WY 82082 87%981$69,347$354,000$159 pricier homes ($41K more)
Wallowa, OR 97885 87%395$76,645$402,900$234 pricier homes ($90K more)
Huntsville, OH 43324 86%2,030$56,466$256,500$254 cheaper homes ($56K less) · 5 min longer commute
North Webster, IN 46555 86%1,918$70,399$203,400$188 cheaper homes ($109K less)
Union, MI 49130 86%1,904$76,667$341,900$245 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Benzonia, MI 49616 86%1,861$57,982$221,600$259 cheaper homes ($91K less)
Milford, IA 51351 86%1,421$73,824$273,100$184 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger
Big Timber, MT 59011 86%718$78,000$328,100$211 larger · 7 min longer commute
Burwell, NE 68823 86%1,231$61,974$174,100— cheaper homes ($139K less)
Bernardston, MA 01337 85%2,549$85,045$338,800$233 pricier homes ($26K more) · 6 min longer commute
Lisbon, NH 03585 85%2,555$68,594$233,700$250 cheaper homes ($79K less) · 7 min longer commute
North Clarendon, VT 05759 85%2,515$58,150$209,100$199 cheaper homes ($104K less)
New Lebanon, NY 12125 85%2,514$55,625$275,900$211 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute

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.