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 Mountain View, HI 96771

Mountain View: median income $62,426, home value $331,900, $364/sq ft, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Big Lake, AK 99652 88%2,911$78,578$294,800$312 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Mill Spring, NC 28756 85%4,506$63,663$277,600$330 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Spirit Lake, ID 83869 82%2,895$67,099$466,000$368 pricier homes ($134K more) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Littlerock, CA 93543 82%2,488$72,488$388,400$327 pricier homes ($57K more) · larger · older homes
Vernonia, OR 97064 82%2,565$67,317$383,600$298 pricier homes ($52K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Lehigh Acres, FL 33972 81%4,634$73,819$320,600$207 larger
White Bluff, TN 37187 81%4,218$76,228$300,800$224 cheaper homes ($31K less) · older homes
Campo, CA 91906 81%2,543$62,500$327,600$294 smaller · older residents · older homes
Lincoln, DE 19960 80%4,839$67,200$275,700$258 cheaper homes ($56K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Cross Plains, TN 37049 80%4,246$90,048$368,800$315 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller
Woodbury, TN 37190 80%4,285$64,792$274,200$212 cheaper homes ($58K less) · older homes
Ridgely, MD 21660 79%4,813$80,469$359,300$255 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Shipman, VA 22971 79%4,668$79,135$319,000$260 smaller · older homes
Goochland, VA 23063 79%4,711$81,553$363,200$255 pricier homes ($31K more)
Louisa, VA 23093 79%4,708$72,798$292,800$226 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
Timberlake, NC 27583 79%4,676$71,484$279,900$214 cheaper homes ($52K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Rydal, GA 30171 79%4,369$73,409$365,000$224 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Fellsmere, FL 32948 79%4,680$60,945$225,200$287 cheaper homes ($107K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Charlotte, TN 37036 79%4,214$73,102$257,600$248 cheaper homes ($74K less) · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Cumberland Furnace, TN 37051 79%4,208$69,545$342,500$241 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Ethel, LA 70730 79%4,023$64,977$254,600$212 cheaper homes ($77K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Concrete, WA 98237 79%2,729$61,711$377,700$285 pricier homes ($46K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Amelia Court House, VA 23002 78%4,717$71,813$275,300$218 cheaper homes ($57K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Melba, ID 83641 78%2,767$84,730$425,700$296 pricier homes ($94K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Paw Paw, WV 25434 77%4,671$64,487$207,500$254 cheaper homes ($124K less) · smaller

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.