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 Kailua Kona, HI 96740

Kailua Kona: median income $95,542, home value $760,600, $627/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Napa, CA 94558 84%2,395$113,269$890,500$550 pricier homes ($130K more) · larger · older homes
Camarillo, CA 93010 83%2,470$111,176$867,100$495 pricier homes ($107K more) · older homes
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420 82%2,410$110,553$917,900$572 pricier homes ($157K more) · more single-family homes
Atascadero, CA 93422 82%2,406$91,780$737,600$438 more single-family homes
El Cajon, CA 92019 81%2,568$101,973$801,400$520 pricier homes ($41K more) · 6 min longer commute · more walkable
Lakeside, CA 92040 81%2,569$107,937$723,200$496 cheaper homes ($37K less) · younger residents · more walkable
Escondido, CA 92026 80%2,563$104,561$714,300$468 cheaper homes ($46K less) · 6 min longer commute · more walkable
Bellingham, WA 98226 80%2,738$79,375$607,600$376 cheaper homes ($153K less)
Durango, CO 81303 79%3,123$88,103$597,300$403 cheaper homes ($163K less) · smaller
Oceanside, CA 92056 79%2,553$106,272$773,200$555 8 min longer commute · more walkable
Nipomo, CA 93444 78%2,406$110,867$816,000$507 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Paso Robles, CA 93446 78%2,407$97,943$707,500$431 cheaper homes ($53K less) · 6 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Santa Rosa, CA 95403 78%2,371$98,191$693,000$446 cheaper homes ($68K less) · more renters · more walkable
Key Largo, FL 33037 77%4,779$86,533$683,000$582 cheaper homes ($78K less) · smaller · older residents
Silverthorne, CO 80498 77%3,243$105,897$824,200$614 pricier homes ($64K more) · smaller
Santee, CA 92071 77%2,565$113,618$728,900$526 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Camarillo, CA 93012 77%2,473$135,217$841,800$498 higher income ($40K more) · pricier homes ($81K more)
Ferndale, WA 98248 77%2,735$91,060$589,600$373 cheaper homes ($171K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Oxnard, CA 93035 76%2,460$106,611$801,600$598 pricier homes ($41K more) · 5 min longer commute · more walkable
Bellingham, WA 98229 76%2,736$90,945$633,500$390 cheaper homes ($127K less) · younger residents
Vista, CA 92081 75%2,555$105,379$838,600$519 pricier homes ($78K more) · younger residents · more renters
Santa Rosa, CA 95401 75%2,370$93,615$630,900$479 cheaper homes ($130K less) · younger residents · more renters
Whitefish, MT 59937 74%3,043$75,428$698,200$567 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Durango, CO 81301 74%3,127$83,943$695,800$506 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Hailey, ID 83333 74%2,911$99,704$744,200$566 smaller · more single-family homes · more walkable

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.