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 Fort Jones, CA 96032

Fort Jones: median income $72,951, home value $320,100, $252/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Saint Croix Falls, WI 54024 94%1,530$75,417$271,900$221 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger
Norwood Young America, MN 55368 93%1,467$71,250$309,800$189 Very close on everything we compare
Darrington, WA 98241 93%462$73,185$395,000$278 pricier homes ($75K more)
Lake Waccamaw, NC 28450 92%2,441$69,554$264,200$213 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Winchester, NH 03470 91%2,549$79,028$252,800$244 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger
Saluda, VA 23149 91%2,450$70,743$282,500$206 cheaper homes ($38K less) · newer homes
Balsam Lake, WI 54810 91%1,539$69,917$271,600$263 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Center Ossipee, NH 03814 90%2,589$77,138$325,500$270 younger residents
Silver Lake, WI 53170 90%1,769$79,931$284,400$237 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Glenwood City, WI 54013 90%1,552$87,500$307,600$179 Very close on everything we compare
Antrim, NH 03440 89%2,563$88,889$300,000$305 Very close on everything we compare
Alstead, NH 03602 89%2,543$70,455$279,400$216 cheaper homes ($41K less) · older residents
Effingham, NH 03882 89%2,598$76,607$322,700$294 more homeowners
Windham, CT 06280 89%2,579$76,577$250,500$213 cheaper homes ($70K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Wassaic, NY 12592 89%2,509$71,696$267,500— cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller
New Milford, PA 18834 89%2,400$70,323$219,000$223 cheaper homes ($101K less)
Ashley, OH 43003 89%2,065$69,852$230,800$190 cheaper homes ($89K less) · larger
Elmwood, WI 54740 89%1,551$79,387$239,700$231 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Luck, WI 54853 89%1,539$75,000$245,100$215 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Clatskanie, OR 97016 89%308$79,375$336,000$232 larger
Brownsville, OR 97327 89%191$81,267$396,200$241 pricier homes ($76K more)
Canaan, NH 03741 88%2,548$82,181$257,500$305 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger
East Waterboro, ME 04030 88%2,613$72,548$348,400$274 pricier homes ($28K more) · younger residents
Lisbon Falls, ME 04252 88%2,636$73,476$258,500$236 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger · younger residents
Enosburg Falls, VT 05450 88%2,491$72,875$271,800$203 cheaper homes ($48K less) · 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.