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 Colton, OR 97017

Colton: median income $83,355, home value $610,300, $323/sq ft, 44-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Garden Valley, CA 95633 90%442$74,258$434,200$304 cheaper homes ($176K less)
Readyville, TN 37149 88%1,989$78,345$402,900$268 cheaper homes ($207K less)
Gold Bar, WA 98251 87%189$83,891$448,900$398 cheaper homes ($161K less)
Roberts, MT 59070 85%644$96,250$531,000$349 cheaper homes ($79K less) · smaller
Athol, ID 83801 85%331$71,108$612,500$402 larger · 6 min shorter commute
Foresthill, CA 95631 85%430$104,402$496,900$296 cheaper homes ($113K less) · larger
Eatonville, WA 98328 85%119$103,696$591,800$355 larger
Roy, WA 98580 85%124$104,684$542,800$291 cheaper homes ($68K less) · larger
Amboy, WA 98601 85%53$106,776$515,000$277 cheaper homes ($95K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Toledo, WA 98591 84%91$78,952$471,100$324 cheaper homes ($139K less) · older residents · 8 min shorter commute
Wittmann, AZ 85361 82%944$77,361$412,400$247 cheaper homes ($198K less) · larger · newer homes
Mountain Center, CA 92561 82%847$94,063$614,300$405 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Valley Springs, CA 95252 82%490$89,651$457,000$284 cheaper homes ($153K less) · larger
Rainier, WA 98576 82%120$104,896$446,900$297 cheaper homes ($163K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Elk, WA 99009 82%314$81,809$427,200$276 cheaper homes ($183K less) · 6 min longer commute
Boston, VA 22713 80%2,295$90,795$377,200$249 cheaper homes ($233K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Platteville, CO 80651 80%956$81,586$474,700$277 cheaper homes ($136K less) · 10 min shorter commute
Calhan, CO 80808 80%1,018$85,500$411,100$235 cheaper homes ($199K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Silt, CO 81652 80%847$101,038$530,000$310 cheaper homes ($80K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Spirit Lake, ID 83869 80%327$67,099$466,000$368 cheaper homes ($144K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Allyn, WA 98524 80%153$99,483$526,800$306 cheaper homes ($84K less) · older residents
Myakka City, FL 34251 79%2,521$92,005$481,900$345 cheaper homes ($128K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Melba, ID 83641 79%316$84,730$425,700$296 cheaper homes ($185K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Tollhouse, CA 93667 79%586$75,272$366,300$267 cheaper homes ($244K less) · smaller · younger residents
Mc Clellanville, SC 29458 78%2,413$86,431$370,900$337 cheaper homes ($239K less) · older 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.