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 Creswell, OR 97426

Creswell: median income $90,125, home value $488,000, $284/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cashmere, WA 98815 96%278$88,108$554,300$310 pricier homes ($66K more)
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210 94%2,482$90,013$370,500$283 cheaper homes ($118K less) · larger
Medical Lake, WA 99022 93%363$93,812$389,700$245 cheaper homes ($98K less)
East Helena, MT 59635 91%572$83,740$395,600$277 cheaper homes ($92K less)
Hayden, ID 83835 90%405$91,316$562,000$337 pricier homes ($74K more) · larger
Oakhurst, CA 93644 90%487$81,196$396,300$250 cheaper homes ($92K less)
Cottonwood, CA 96022 90%247$89,338$366,700$261 cheaper homes ($121K less) · larger
Blaine, WA 98230 90%350$86,623$499,800$316 larger
Mount Vernon, WA 98274 90%311$96,177$547,700$360 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger
Three Forks, MT 59752 89%578$86,767$461,100$334 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Fruita, CO 81521 89%808$88,458$422,900$294 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger · newer homes
Rathdrum, ID 83858 89%401$95,380$507,600$341 larger · newer homes
Chehalis, WA 98532 89%189$89,910$427,100$286 cheaper homes ($61K less) · larger
Strasburg, PA 17579 88%2,391$91,621$349,400$240 cheaper homes ($139K less)
Sauk City, WI 53583 88%1,655$97,286$344,000$227 cheaper homes ($144K less) · smaller
Cannon Falls, MN 55009 88%1,486$91,295$331,300$208 cheaper homes ($157K less)
North Dartmouth, MA 02747 87%2,600$102,079$484,800$309 larger
East Troy, WI 53120 87%1,728$96,345$336,300$260 cheaper homes ($152K less)
Laurel, MT 59044 87%709$87,648$346,500$231 cheaper homes ($142K less)
Grand Junction, CO 81503 87%826$75,053$352,100$274 cheaper homes ($136K less) · larger
Pinedale, WY 82941 87%665$91,429$345,700$265 cheaper homes ($142K less) · smaller
Kingsburg, CA 93631 87%543$79,228$396,800$276 cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger · younger residents
Lockeford, CA 95237 87%409$87,117$490,500$291 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Lodi, CA 95242 87%409$104,721$567,100$326 pricier homes ($79K more) · larger
Willits, CA 95490 87%308$79,594$392,700$254 cheaper homes ($95K less) · more renters

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.