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.

Reset

Towns most like Nehalem, OR 97131

Nehalem: median income $70,833, home value $459,000, $356/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ocean Park, WA 98640 88%54$65,735$355,400$302 cheaper homes ($104K less) · larger
Ahwahnee, CA 93601 87%614$76,555$434,900$241 smaller
Sunrise Beach, MO 65079 86%1,670$70,024$394,800$302 cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger · older residents
Lakemont, GA 30552 85%2,239$66,316$354,700$390 cheaper homes ($104K less) · more single-family homes
Bokeelia, FL 33922 85%2,634$71,164$355,800$269 cheaper homes ($103K less) · larger
Victor, MT 59875 85%469$63,036$525,500$297 pricier homes ($67K more) · larger · younger residents
Rocky Mount, MO 65072 85%1,670$78,750$335,700$286 cheaper homes ($123K less) · 6 min longer commute
Sheridan, MT 59749 84%567$80,238$382,400$332 cheaper homes ($77K less) · more single-family homes
Darby, MT 59829 84%467$63,650$437,900$315 more renters
Freedom, NH 03836 83%2,548$66,136$389,000$344 cheaper homes ($70K less) · smaller
Plains, MT 59859 82%444$64,846$429,200$278 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · more renters
Thompson Falls, MT 59873 82%425$60,000$305,900$277 cheaper homes ($153K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Carson City, NV 89705 82%506$79,901$470,200$351 larger · more renters · more single-family homes
Otis Orchards, WA 99027 82%350$74,718$444,500$228 larger · younger residents
Lake Toxaway, NC 28747 81%2,248$66,000$294,600$368 cheaper homes ($164K less) · younger residents
Maggie Valley, NC 28751 81%2,226$69,057$313,500$292 cheaper homes ($146K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Saint James City, FL 33956 81%2,643$69,534$318,200$410 cheaper homes ($141K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Crosslake, MN 56442 81%1,418$79,896$479,800$349 8 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Walker, MN 56484 81%1,392$67,019$311,200$272 cheaper homes ($148K less) · more renters
Mackay, ID 83251 81%519$73,482$366,900$286 cheaper homes ($92K less) · smaller · more renters
Garden Valley, ID 83622 81%411$65,625$576,800$332 pricier homes ($118K more) · 7 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Murphys, CA 95247 81%553$76,333$537,400$306 pricier homes ($78K more) · larger · more renters
Cathlamet, WA 98612 81%42$59,583$429,600$318 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Renfrew, PA 16053 80%2,208$76,054$297,500$218 cheaper homes ($162K less)
Reedville, VA 22539 80%2,475$89,200$411,400$302 cheaper homes ($48K less) · older residents · 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.