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 Shady Cove, OR 97539

Shady Cove: median income $51,875, home value $389,900, $240/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bullhead City, AZ 86429 91%679$58,906$349,900$222 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger
Rimrock, AZ 86335 82%810$64,455$285,200$253 cheaper homes ($105K less) · 8 min longer commute
Kettle Falls, WA 99141 82%475$58,302$320,700$201 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger · younger residents
Clarkdale, AZ 86324 81%792$46,813$374,400$280 more single-family homes
Jefferson, NC 28640 80%2,224$53,155$282,900$264 cheaper homes ($107K less) · younger residents
Crystal River, FL 34428 80%2,416$50,779$260,200$212 cheaper homes ($130K less) · larger
Osage Beach, MO 65065 80%1,608$60,785$371,600$263 larger · more apartments and townhomes · more walkable
Columbia, CA 95310 80%340$54,697$434,800$255 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller · older homes
New Paris, PA 15554 79%2,272$50,500$273,000$149 cheaper homes ($117K less) · older homes
Arapahoe, NC 28510 79%2,500$58,839$264,100$240 cheaper homes ($126K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Crumpler, NC 28617 79%2,224$62,204$244,600$271 cheaper homes ($145K less) · smaller · older homes
Panacea, FL 32346 79%2,285$61,700$267,200$257 cheaper homes ($123K less) · older homes
Plains, MT 59859 79%512$64,846$429,200$278 pricier homes ($39K more) · more single-family homes
Kimberling City, MO 65686 79%1,608$58,363$257,300$197 cheaper homes ($133K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Grandy, NC 27939 78%2,511$62,463$306,100$247 cheaper homes ($84K less) · smaller · younger residents
Juliaetta, ID 83535 78%406$57,647$293,800$272 cheaper homes ($96K less) · smaller · younger residents
Lakeside, AZ 85929 78%905$62,752$306,900$290 cheaper homes ($83K less) · larger · younger residents
Littlefield, AZ 86432 78%615$48,627$249,800— cheaper homes ($140K less) · more homeowners
Bracey, VA 23919 77%2,388$66,750$300,000$203 cheaper homes ($90K less) · more homeowners
Hiawassee, GA 30546 77%2,152$59,234$295,000$248 cheaper homes ($95K less) · larger · more homeowners
Seminole, AL 36574 77%2,113$50,915$223,500$198 cheaper homes ($166K less) · smaller · younger residents
Walker, MN 56484 77%1,409$67,019$311,200$272 cheaper homes ($79K less) · more single-family homes
Buchanan Dam, TX 78609 77%1,571$64,418$319,700$189 cheaper homes ($70K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Borrego Springs, CA 92004 77%737$74,018$390,400$204 Very close on everything we compare
New Market, VA 22844 76%2,304$65,974$281,200$202 cheaper homes ($109K less) · younger residents · older homes

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.