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 Gold Bar, WA 98251

Gold Bar: median income $83,891, home value $448,900, $398/sq ft, 48-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Colton, OR 97017 87%189$83,355$610,300$323 pricier homes ($161K more)
Readyville, TN 37149 81%1,981$78,345$402,900$268 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller · less walkable
Valley Springs, CA 95252 81%669$89,651$457,000$284 larger
Garden Valley, CA 95633 79%621$74,258$434,200$304 smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Knotts Island, NC 27950 78%2,425$88,250$290,300$255 cheaper homes ($159K less) · smaller
Wittmann, AZ 85361 78%1,079$77,361$412,400$247 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger · less walkable
Vernonia, OR 97064 78%155$67,317$383,600$298 cheaper homes ($65K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Athol, ID 83801 77%227$71,108$612,500$402 pricier homes ($164K more) · larger · 10 min shorter commute
Pinon Hills, CA 92372 77%948$66,471$459,400$217 Very close on everything we compare
Roberts, MT 59070 76%615$96,250$531,000$349 pricier homes ($82K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Phelan, CA 92371 76%949$78,986$387,000$256 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger · younger residents
Foresthill, CA 95631 76%607$104,402$496,900$296 pricier homes ($48K more) · 9 min shorter commute
Ridgely, MD 21660 75%2,341$80,469$359,300$255 cheaper homes ($90K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more renters
Silt, CO 81652 75%902$101,038$530,000$310 pricier homes ($81K more) · 11 min shorter commute
Quail Valley, CA 92587 75%1,002$104,290$632,900$355 pricier homes ($184K more) · larger
Parsonsfield, ME 04047 74%2,416$72,045$272,100$296 cheaper homes ($177K less) · smaller · older homes
Rixeyville, VA 22737 74%2,254$99,177$401,000$314 cheaper homes ($48K less) · older residents · more single-family homes
Tollhouse, CA 93667 74%758$75,272$366,300$267 cheaper homes ($83K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Big Lake, AK 99652 74%1,454$78,578$294,800$312 cheaper homes ($154K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Boston, VA 22713 73%2,251$90,795$377,200$249 cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Lexington, TX 78947 73%1,770$84,649$319,600$231 cheaper homes ($129K less) · more renters · less walkable
Calhan, CO 80808 73%1,058$85,500$411,100$235 cheaper homes ($38K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Lake Hughes, CA 93532 73%922$113,363$435,300$343 higher income ($29K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Bridgton, ME 04009 72%2,415$78,021$317,100$325 cheaper homes ($132K less) · older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Sharps Chapel, TN 37866 72%2,069$77,091$279,000$284 cheaper homes ($170K less) · smaller · 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.