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 Vale, OR 97918

Vale: median income $63,342, home value $298,100, $219/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Gooding, ID 83330 92%148$60,842$254,900$235 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger
Newport, MN 55055 91%1,194$71,979$378,100$245 pricier homes ($80K more)
Henrico, VA 23075 90%2,115$55,567$222,700$224 cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger
Sturgis, SD 57785 90%689$63,897$296,100$221 larger
Colusa, CA 95932 90%411$66,964$389,600$243 pricier homes ($92K more) · larger
Akron, PA 17501 89%2,101$78,182$258,900$199 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Salina, UT 84654 89%446$64,015$287,500$186 smaller · less walkable
Youngtown, AZ 85363 89%767$68,321$320,000$214 larger
Big Pine, CA 93513 89%475$67,292$330,300$265 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
Willows, CA 95988 89%402$66,339$297,200$241 larger
Los Molinos, CA 96055 89%369$59,798$305,200$194 less walkable
Snow Hill, MD 21863 88%2,192$61,975$263,600$180 cheaper homes ($35K less) · less walkable
Arabi, LA 70032 88%1,778$56,813$225,500$172 cheaper homes ($73K less) · 5 min longer commute
Saint Anthony, ID 83445 88%277$68,012$283,800$190 larger
Payette, ID 83661 88%18$59,351$302,300$250 larger
Pittsfield, NH 03263 87%2,267$74,318$294,800$241 Very close on everything we compare
Canaan, CT 06018 87%2,198$68,917$280,200$195 smaller · more renters
Meeker, CO 81641 87%553$63,070$329,700$174 pricier homes ($32K more)
Portola, CA 96122 87%333$54,205$273,700$254 older residents
Warden, WA 98857 87%223$61,860$213,300$225 cheaper homes ($85K less)
Lisbon Falls, ME 04252 86%2,313$73,476$258,500$236 cheaper homes ($40K less) · 7 min longer commute
Mechanic Falls, ME 04256 86%2,295$69,914$270,900$213 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Swanton, VT 05488 86%2,151$77,154$288,700$225 larger
Litchfield, MN 55355 86%1,118$63,295$224,400$159 cheaper homes ($74K less) · larger
Boulder, MT 59632 86%295$68,750$278,800$180 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.