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 Merlin, OR 97532

Merlin: median income $81,167, home value $445,400, $281/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Boulevard, CA 91905 95%784$77,886$394,400$326 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller
Bath, NC 27808 92%2,520$90,472$372,500$295 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Mokelumne Hill, CA 95245 92%328$84,405$482,000$268 pricier homes ($37K more)
Pine Grove, CA 95665 91%320$87,366$418,900$237 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger
Bentonville, VA 22610 90%2,352$81,500$337,700$246 cheaper homes ($108K less)
Limington, ME 04049 89%2,616$84,675$295,600$257 cheaper homes ($150K less) · larger
Pleasant Mount, PA 18453 89%2,429$85,110$325,000$260 cheaper homes ($120K less) · smaller
Elliottsburg, PA 17024 88%2,363$79,292$295,100$308 cheaper homes ($150K less)
New Haven, MI 48050 88%2,045$91,136$337,600$222 cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller
Townsend, MT 59644 88%645$68,811$361,500$300 cheaper homes ($84K less) · larger
Warwick, MD 21912 87%2,461$69,868$391,700$259 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
Chesapeake City, MD 21915 87%2,457$95,875$376,500$252 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Culleoka, TN 38451 87%2,000$90,163$341,600$281 cheaper homes ($104K less) · larger
Priest River, ID 83856 87%502$75,285$427,900$333 larger
Auberry, CA 93602 87%432$78,016$370,700$221 cheaper homes ($75K less) · younger residents
Tafton, PA 18464 86%2,446$77,277$312,600$253 cheaper homes ($133K less)
Zirconia, NC 28790 86%2,239$97,042$455,000$259 younger residents
Joelton, TN 37080 86%1,980$87,963$333,700$232 cheaper homes ($112K less) · larger
Zumbro Falls, MN 55991 86%1,553$82,292$350,000$270 cheaper homes ($95K less) · smaller · younger residents
Vergas, MN 56587 86%1,382$88,000$367,600$290 cheaper homes ($78K less) · smaller
Horseshoe Bend, ID 83629 86%378$72,500$398,000$296 cheaper homes ($47K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Hydesville, CA 95547 86%141$96,827$481,100$358 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Toledo, WA 98591 86%272$78,952$471,100$324 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Greenfield, NH 03047 85%2,575$103,603$350,300$298 cheaper homes ($95K less)
Warriors Mark, PA 16877 85%2,318$68,500$307,700— cheaper homes ($138K less) · smaller

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.