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 Winston, OR 97496

Winston: median income $56,071, home value $257,600, $244/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Portola, CA 96122 91%274$54,205$273,700$254 smaller · younger residents
Crystal River, FL 34428 90%2,452$50,779$260,200$212 Very close on everything we compare
Dublin, VA 24084 88%2,272$63,146$192,600$176 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Jefferson, NC 28640 88%2,254$53,155$282,900$264 pricier homes ($25K more) · smaller
Lakeside, AZ 85929 88%951$62,752$306,900$290 pricier homes ($49K more)
Colebrook, NH 03576 87%2,540$52,682$214,900$204 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller
Yerington, NV 89447 87%361$56,691$277,500$233 6 min longer commute · less walkable
Belmont, NH 03220 86%2,569$68,242$316,200$280 pricier homes ($59K more)
West Jefferson, NC 28694 86%2,252$58,486$273,200$266 more single-family homes
Bryson City, NC 28713 86%2,182$50,882$221,900$258 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Spruce Pine, NC 28777 86%2,237$63,378$228,400$186 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Edgewater, FL 32132 86%2,536$52,181$252,300$226 older residents · more single-family homes
Oak Hill, FL 32759 86%2,543$61,671$289,300$229 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
Camdenton, MO 65020 86%1,638$62,392$265,200$231 larger · newer homes
Saint Maries, ID 83861 86%442$65,508$307,800$237 pricier homes ($50K more)
Charlestown, NH 03603 85%2,530$56,731$230,400$173 cheaper homes ($27K less) · younger residents
Hinsdale, NH 03451 84%2,535$69,191$200,700$257 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller
Newport, ME 04953 84%2,645$60,365$234,800$182 smaller
New Market, VA 22844 84%2,330$65,974$281,200$202 smaller
Petersburg, WV 26847 84%2,299$52,139$180,400$162 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Fruitland Park, FL 34731 84%2,491$66,300$199,800$186 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger
Chewelah, WA 99109 84%450$62,391$327,400$235 pricier homes ($70K more) · smaller · less walkable
Farmington, NH 03835 83%2,591$66,982$289,800$242 pricier homes ($32K more) · 8 min longer commute
Mc Connellsburg, PA 17233 83%2,332$61,296$195,500$166 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller
Honesdale, PA 18431 83%2,429$56,779$230,200$207 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger · younger residents

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.