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 Marcola, OR 97454

Marcola: median income $88,700, home value $454,200, $321/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Plymouth, CA 95669 92%407$89,609$582,900$291 pricier homes ($129K more) · larger
Zumbro Falls, MN 55991 91%1,496$82,292$350,000$270 cheaper homes ($104K less)
Hydesville, CA 95547 91%261$96,827$481,100$358 pricier homes ($27K more)
East Wakefield, NH 03830 89%2,536$99,960$353,400$340 cheaper homes ($101K less)
Grey Eagle, MN 56336 89%1,369$82,679$331,400$396 cheaper homes ($123K less)
Cascade, MT 59421 89%576$78,125$377,900$267 cheaper homes ($76K less) · larger
Pleasant Mount, PA 18453 88%2,370$85,110$325,000$260 cheaper homes ($129K less)
Bath, NC 27808 88%2,482$90,472$372,500$295 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Oak Run, CA 96069 88%246$71,250$381,900$239 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Ossipee, NH 03864 87%2,529$104,485$328,200$284 cheaper homes ($126K less) · larger
Neosho, WI 53059 87%1,701$91,114$342,800$232 cheaper homes ($111K less) · larger
Rosanky, TX 78953 87%1,707$83,438$325,400$277 cheaper homes ($129K less)
Oakville, WA 98568 87%183$84,531$426,200$315 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Effingham, NH 03882 86%2,535$76,607$322,700$294 cheaper homes ($132K less) · larger
Earlton, NY 12058 86%2,427$85,469$273,500— cheaper homes ($181K less)
Elliottsburg, PA 17024 86%2,310$79,292$295,100$308 cheaper homes ($159K less)
Chesapeake City, MD 21915 86%2,406$95,875$376,500$252 cheaper homes ($78K less) · larger · more renters
Rubicon, WI 53078 86%1,704$94,688$364,200$345 cheaper homes ($90K less) · more single-family homes
Kersey, CO 80644 86%969$97,847$409,100$276 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger · more renters
Princeton, ID 83857 86%345$78,185$335,300$374 cheaper homes ($119K less) · younger residents
Cordova, MD 21625 85%2,416$83,250$372,200$374 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger · younger residents
Gum Spring, VA 23065 85%2,352$92,577$305,100$251 cheaper homes ($149K less)
Zirconia, NC 28790 85%2,209$97,042$455,000$259 larger
Elysian, MN 56028 85%1,435$93,375$338,000$253 cheaper homes ($116K less)
Miltona, MN 56354 85%1,340$88,693$403,700$235 cheaper homes ($51K 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.