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 Mulino, OR 97042

Mulino: median income $118,045, home value $687,700, $341/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Herald, CA 95638 90%482$91,500$713,600$369 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($26K more)
Applegate, CA 95703 88%436$100,214$603,900$351 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Descanso, CA 91916 87%909$103,438$676,800$273 smaller
El Dorado, CA 95623 87%463$109,102$601,800$335 cheaper homes ($86K less)
Olalla, WA 98359 87%153$114,091$610,500$388 cheaper homes ($77K less) · newer homes
Newman Lake, WA 99025 87%313$118,712$517,100$251 cheaper homes ($171K less) · larger
Millville, CA 96062 84%322$129,688$481,100$351 cheaper homes ($207K less) · smaller
Seabeck, WA 98380 84%165$125,229$578,900$341 cheaper homes ($109K less) · larger · younger residents
Tacoma, WA 98443 84%138$105,035$519,100$320 cheaper homes ($169K less) · larger
Stormville, NY 12582 83%2,427$133,328$468,600$291 cheaper homes ($219K less) · larger
Woodbridge, CA 95258 83%492$93,854$559,800$312 cheaper homes ($128K less) · younger residents
Millville, MA 01529 82%2,516$127,188$444,600$277 cheaper homes ($243K less)
North Berwick, ME 03906 81%2,522$105,156$432,900$325 cheaper homes ($255K less) · larger · younger residents
Virginia Beach, VA 23457 81%2,464$116,250$571,000$312 cheaper homes ($117K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Zirconia, NC 28790 81%2,199$97,042$455,000$259 cheaper homes ($233K less) · newer homes
Plymouth, CA 95669 81%472$89,609$582,900$291 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($105K less) · smaller
West Townsend, MA 01474 80%2,491$136,371$460,200$277 cheaper homes ($228K less)
Lake Helen, FL 32744 80%2,502$112,599$453,700$238 cheaper homes ($234K less)
Hayden, CO 81639 80%838$110,404$443,600$354 cheaper homes ($244K less) · younger residents
Washoe Valley, NV 89704 80%434$118,017$680,000$446 older residents
Hydesville, CA 95547 80%332$96,827$481,100$358 cheaper homes ($207K less) · smaller · older residents
Forest Ranch, CA 95942 80%371$116,400$448,000$226 cheaper homes ($240K less) · smaller
East Freetown, MA 02717 79%2,552$130,625$520,800$336 cheaper homes ($167K less) · younger residents
Candia, NH 03034 79%2,502$131,350$412,700$294 cheaper homes ($275K less)
Fremont, NH 03044 79%2,512$120,781$416,900$325 cheaper homes ($271K less)

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.