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 Sweet Home, OR 97386

Sweet Home: median income $64,669, home value $331,600, $262/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Kelseyville, CA 95451 91%377$62,568$352,000$211 Very close on everything we compare
Elma, WA 98541 91%183$78,816$390,000$282 pricier homes ($58K more)
Banning, CA 92220 90%788$62,599$354,600$264 larger
Jewett City, CT 06351 89%2,530$82,976$294,400$255 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Sanford, ME 04073 88%2,543$72,917$282,900$269 cheaper homes ($49K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Orange, MA 01364 87%2,490$55,532$247,800$207 cheaper homes ($84K less) · smaller
Winchendon, MA 01475 87%2,500$76,552$323,800$251 younger residents
Farmington, NH 03835 87%2,530$66,982$289,800$242 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Plainfield, CT 06374 87%2,531$71,882$248,700$194 cheaper homes ($83K less) · smaller
Seaford, DE 19973 87%2,436$64,387$278,300$202 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · newer homes
Emmett, ID 83617 87%311$65,291$429,100$284 pricier homes ($98K more)
Hayes, VA 23072 86%2,433$74,559$311,500$224 Very close on everything we compare
Yerington, NV 89447 86%417$56,691$277,500$233 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Goldendale, WA 98620 86%136$60,500$280,500$233 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller · less walkable
Denton, MD 21629 85%2,418$73,956$334,200$188 younger residents
Dade City, FL 33523 85%2,476$64,826$244,400$205 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Youngtown, AZ 85363 85%932$68,321$320,000$214 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Ware, MA 01082 84%2,500$69,018$292,000$219 cheaper homes ($40K less) · older homes
Tappahannock, VA 22560 84%2,393$61,082$246,600$195 cheaper homes ($85K less) · smaller
Strasburg, VA 22657 84%2,292$63,975$304,900$218 cheaper homes ($27K less) · younger residents
Pine City, MN 55063 84%1,449$74,667$253,200$205 cheaper homes ($78K less) · smaller
Centralia, WA 98531 84%161$63,406$343,000$250 larger · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Athol, MA 01331 83%2,494$72,181$281,400$248 cheaper homes ($50K less) · 5 min shorter commute · older homes
Belmont, NH 03220 83%2,508$68,242$316,200$280 smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Slatington, PA 18080 83%2,377$74,522$264,200$180 cheaper homes ($67K 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.