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 Dufur, OR 97021

Dufur: median income $89,500, home value $412,600, $280/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Touchet, WA 99360 95%129$93,036$454,500$263 pricier homes ($42K more) · younger residents
New Haven, VT 05472 91%2,320$92,537$378,000$217 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Vernon, VT 05354 90%2,384$85,682$285,100$204 cheaper homes ($128K less) · larger
Llano, CA 93544 90%774$89,792$406,500$229 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Absarokee, MT 59001 89%565$82,692$359,000$271 cheaper homes ($54K less) · 6 min longer commute
Walpole, NH 03608 88%2,380$88,224$355,600$219 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger
Millerton, NY 12546 88%2,357$84,455$313,300$313 cheaper homes ($99K less) · larger
Troy, NH 03465 87%2,398$88,871$266,600$259 cheaper homes ($146K less) · 5 min longer commute
Mc Henry, MD 21541 87%2,141$82,955$342,500$258 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Joliet, MT 59041 87%589$80,500$411,700$189 Very close on everything we compare
Pateros, WA 98846 87%191$84,464$338,200$276 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Bernardston, MA 01337 86%2,382$85,045$338,800$233 cheaper homes ($74K less) · larger · older residents
Lennox, SD 57039 86%1,202$83,787$290,400$230 cheaper homes ($122K less) · larger
Sharon, VT 05065 85%2,363$86,042$341,200$252 cheaper homes ($71K less) · 6 min longer commute
Garretson, SD 57030 85%1,213$79,375$327,400$214 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Utopia, TX 78884 85%1,600$84,271$286,900— cheaper homes ($126K less) · newer homes
Rollinsford, NH 03869 84%2,451$87,215$413,500$315 larger · younger residents
Tiger, GA 30576 84%2,100$81,417$324,900$245 cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger · newer homes
Random Lake, WI 53075 84%1,628$93,750$297,100$212 cheaper homes ($116K less) · larger
Kasota, MN 56050 84%1,328$90,000$342,700$211 cheaper homes ($70K less) · more single-family homes
Audubon, MN 56511 84%1,204$89,875$401,900$261 more homeowners
Pinedale, WY 82941 84%586$91,429$345,700$265 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger · younger residents
Lockeford, CA 95237 84%500$87,117$490,500$291 pricier homes ($78K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Soulsbyville, CA 95372 84%513$97,398$408,300$255 more single-family homes
Sutter, CA 95982 84%431$96,224$417,000$361 larger · more single-family homes

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.