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 Vernonia, OR 97064

Vernonia: median income $67,317, home value $383,600, $298/sq ft, 39-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Concrete, WA 98237 95%198$61,711$377,700$285 Very close on everything we compare
Cumberland Furnace, TN 37051 93%1,960$69,545$342,500$241 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Garden Valley, CA 95633 91%498$74,258$434,200$304 pricier homes ($51K more)
Tollhouse, CA 93667 90%643$75,272$366,300$267 smaller
Big Lake, AK 99652 90%1,519$78,578$294,800$312 cheaper homes ($89K less)
White Bluff, TN 37187 89%1,973$76,228$300,800$224 cheaper homes ($83K less) · larger
Alberton, MT 59820 89%422$69,091$367,400$285 smaller
Campo, CA 91906 89%979$62,500$327,600$294 cheaper homes ($56K less) · more single-family homes
East Waterboro, ME 04030 88%2,535$72,548$348,400$274 cheaper homes ($35K less) · older homes
Leonard, TX 75452 88%1,661$69,479$295,900$188 cheaper homes ($88K less)
Melba, ID 83641 88%369$84,730$425,700$296 pricier homes ($42K more)
Ridgely, MD 21660 87%2,424$80,469$359,300$255 younger residents
Mill Spring, NC 28756 87%2,244$63,663$277,600$330 cheaper homes ($106K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Newborn, GA 30056 87%2,239$68,494$306,000$203 cheaper homes ($78K less) · smaller
Meansville, GA 30256 87%2,229$73,571$299,000$200 cheaper homes ($85K less)
Calhan, CO 80808 87%1,069$85,500$411,100$235 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger
Spirit Lake, ID 83869 87%332$67,099$466,000$368 pricier homes ($82K more)
Toledo, WA 98591 87%44$78,952$471,100$324 pricier homes ($88K more) · older residents
Drumore, PA 17518 86%2,380$64,875$381,900$274 smaller
Holtwood, PA 17532 86%2,376$84,562$348,600$312 cheaper homes ($35K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Shipman, VA 22971 86%2,322$79,135$319,000$260 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller · younger residents
Platteville, CO 80651 86%1,005$81,586$474,700$277 pricier homes ($91K more)
Whitewater, CA 92282 86%889$68,750$299,600$282 cheaper homes ($84K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Entiat, WA 98822 86%188$86,103$383,600$340 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Conowingo, MD 21918 85%2,388$84,587$324,800$230 cheaper homes ($59K 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.