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 Union, OR 97883

Union: median income $65,172, home value $239,100, $229/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Big Pine, CA 93513 88%556$67,292$330,300$265 pricier homes ($91K more) · smaller
Portola, CA 96122 88%396$54,205$273,700$254 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger · older residents
Norco, LA 70079 86%1,818$71,433$238,900$158 older homes
Greybull, WY 82426 86%481$67,083$209,000$210 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Hildebran, NC 28637 85%2,005$67,500$197,900$185 cheaper homes ($41K less) · less walkable
Choteau, MT 59422 85%324$67,500$256,500$184 less walkable
Gooding, ID 83330 85%221$60,842$254,900$235 larger · younger residents
Youngtown, AZ 85363 85%855$68,321$320,000$214 pricier homes ($81K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Jemez Pueblo, NM 87024 85%882$60,727$168,400— cheaper homes ($71K less)
Warden, WA 98857 85%135$61,860$213,300$225 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Mechanic Falls, ME 04256 84%2,300$69,914$270,900$213 pricier homes ($32K more) · less walkable
Lawnside, NJ 08045 84%2,185$71,607$240,700$222 older residents · 7 min longer commute
Boulder, MT 59632 84%286$68,750$278,800$180 pricier homes ($40K more) · less walkable
Hansen, ID 83334 84%256$64,583$272,800$235 pricier homes ($34K more) · less walkable
Salina, UT 84654 84%529$64,015$287,500$186 pricier homes ($48K more) · less walkable
Shasta Lake, CA 96019 84%386$67,446$294,600$250 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger
Warren, ME 04864 83%2,353$74,616$232,700$251 larger · less walkable
Henrico, VA 23075 83%2,143$55,567$222,700$224 larger
Stuart, IA 50250 83%1,205$71,083$210,400$203 cheaper homes ($29K less) · less walkable
Akron, PA 17501 82%2,120$78,182$258,900$199 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Scottville, MI 49454 82%1,546$61,280$194,300$176 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger · less walkable
Gaylord, MN 55334 82%1,155$66,149$192,800$144 cheaper homes ($46K less) · less walkable
Ely, NV 89301 82%438$77,518$235,600$176 larger · 5 min shorter commute · less walkable
Canaan, CT 06018 81%2,210$68,917$280,200$195 pricier homes ($41K more) · more renters
Smithton, PA 15479 81%1,949$63,852$202,700$204 cheaper homes ($36K less) · less walkable

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.