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 Pacific City, OR 97135

Pacific City: median income $93,424, home value $458,200, $442/sq ft, 9-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cashiers, NC 28717 72%2,242$76,085$440,000$615 6 min longer commute
Boulder Junction, WI 54512 71%1,646$75,147$294,500$338 cheaper homes ($164K less) · 10 min longer commute
Bristol, ME 04539 70%2,630$96,111$346,900$294 cheaper homes ($111K less) · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners
Glenville, NC 28736 69%2,238$70,855$428,400$373 cheaper homes ($30K less) · younger residents · 9 min longer commute
Dubois, WY 82513 69%715$66,332$382,600$330 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($76K less) · 10 min longer commute
Moyie Springs, ID 83845 69%441$72,695$373,700$325 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger · younger residents
Mackay, ID 83251 68%517$73,482$366,900$286 cheaper homes ($91K less) · 12 min longer commute
Leeds, UT 84746 68%777$93,889$453,600$258 13 min longer commute
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 67%1,778$73,784$432,200$406 cheaper homes ($26K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Boothbay, ME 04537 66%2,625$76,667$358,600$296 cheaper homes ($100K less) · younger residents · older homes
Owls Head, ME 04854 66%2,646$87,325$413,300$379 cheaper homes ($45K less) · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
South Thomaston, ME 04858 65%2,644$87,059$341,300$378 cheaper homes ($117K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Carson City, NV 89705 65%475$79,901$470,200$351 larger · younger residents · 12 min longer commute
Ahwahnee, CA 93601 65%582$76,555$434,900$241 11 min longer commute · more homeowners
Greenville, ME 04441 64%2,589$64,789$291,900$361 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($166K less) · larger
Phippsburg, ME 04562 64%2,620$107,833$335,800$423 cheaper homes ($122K less) · larger · younger residents
Haines, AK 99827 64%1,084$85,208$290,000$245 cheaper homes ($168K less) · larger · younger residents
Schroon Lake, NY 12870 63%2,434$72,628$268,700$382 cheaper homes ($190K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Bethel Island, CA 94511 63%510$74,972$682,700$499 pricier homes ($225K more) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Wentworth, SD 57075 62%1,325$106,763$426,800$287 cheaper homes ($31K less) · 13 min longer commute · more homeowners
Lincoln, MT 59639 61%554$57,778$371,700$418 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($87K less) · 8 min longer commute
Elwood, NE 68937 61%1,258$85,260$316,800$399 cheaper homes ($141K less) · larger · younger residents
Sundance, WY 82729 61%959$89,306$308,400$204 cheaper homes ($150K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Arnold, CA 95223 61%513$106,694$476,000$289 larger · 8 min longer commute
Sheffield, MA 01257 60%2,497$102,788$441,000$299 larger · younger residents · 10 min longer commute

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.