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 The Dalles, OR 97058

The Dalles: median income $62,181, home value $370,100, $252/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Spokane, WA 99212 94%233$67,049$361,500$211 Very close on everything we compare
Crescent City, CA 95531 93%302$67,458$351,400$247 newer homes
Redding, CA 96002 92%354$73,222$367,200$254 larger
Eureka, CA 95503 89%366$71,855$444,700$301 pricier homes ($75K more)
Redding, CA 96001 89%354$72,484$401,500$255 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger
Anderson, CA 96007 89%360$61,357$309,700$256 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Fortuna, CA 95540 88%377$63,695$389,500$266 7 min longer commute
Red Bluff, CA 96080 88%378$66,076$343,700$232 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Walla Walla, WA 99362 88%141$72,474$429,600$246 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger
Lewiston, ID 83501 87%214$73,629$340,600$224 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · less walkable
Salt Lake City, UT 84104 87%574$61,425$359,600$309 younger residents · more walkable
West Springfield, MA 01089 85%2,394$69,371$321,500$249 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Clearwater, FL 33755 85%2,417$62,886$328,700$264 cheaper homes ($41K less) · 7 min longer commute
Nashville, TN 37218 85%1,890$61,919$349,900$261 7 min longer commute
Billings, MT 59101 85%612$58,598$268,700$214 cheaper homes ($101K less) · larger
Las Vegas, NV 89107 85%722$59,571$330,500$239 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Carson City, NV 89701 85%452$73,184$444,500$299 pricier homes ($74K more) · newer homes
Colusa, CA 95932 85%442$66,964$389,600$243 smaller
Yreka, CA 96097 85%278$53,059$277,600$186 cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller
Chicopee, MA 01020 84%2,395$66,009$280,900$244 cheaper homes ($89K less) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Laconia, NH 03246 84%2,411$73,241$339,700$305 cheaper homes ($30K less) · older residents
Saint Albans, VT 05478 84%2,307$71,203$316,400$224 cheaper homes ($54K less) · 8 min longer commute
Chesapeake, VA 23325 84%2,381$69,909$272,000$235 cheaper homes ($98K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Newport News, VA 23601 84%2,362$71,279$243,800$204 cheaper homes ($126K less)
North Charleston, SC 29405 84%2,344$56,600$307,800$284 cheaper homes ($62K less) · more renters · 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.