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.

Reset

Towns most like Camano Island, WA 98282

Camano Island: median income $105,231, home value $670,800, $396/sq ft, 42-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352 86%1,000$105,753$694,600$340 smaller · older homes
Waretown, NJ 08758 84%2,429$96,900$486,300$266 cheaper homes ($185K less) · smaller
Florence, MT 59833 84%408$94,097$551,600$333 cheaper homes ($119K less) · smaller · younger residents
Bailey, CO 80421 84%1,039$98,452$578,700$316 cheaper homes ($92K less) · smaller · younger residents
West Palm Beach, FL 33412 82%2,699$130,225$643,800$379 cheaper homes ($27K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Rio Vista, CA 94571 79%693$87,740$490,200$261 cheaper homes ($181K less) · smaller
Sloughhouse, CA 95683 78%671$140,457$718,900$309 higher income ($35K more) · pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller
Penn Valley, CA 95946 78%624$84,795$565,700$257 cheaper homes ($105K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Miami, FL 33187 77%2,747$115,206$574,300$352 cheaper homes ($97K less) · younger residents
Boring, OR 97009 76%190$106,650$647,500$335 smaller · younger residents · older homes
Acton, CA 93510 75%972$121,023$739,700$366 pricier homes ($69K more) · smaller · younger residents
Discovery Bay, CA 94505 74%712$146,480$830,500$375 higher income ($41K more) · pricier homes ($160K more) · younger residents
Thayne, WY 83127 73%663$87,743$482,700$325 cheaper homes ($188K less) · smaller · younger residents
Cool, CA 95614 73%646$133,426$584,600$262 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($86K less) · smaller
Centerville, MA 02632 72%2,541$121,317$616,700$486 cheaper homes ($54K less) · younger residents · 10 min shorter commute
Lanexa, VA 23089 72%2,390$108,802$400,600$252 cheaper homes ($270K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Elbert, CO 80106 72%1,091$136,852$748,800$295 higher income ($32K more) · pricier homes ($78K more) · smaller
Chepachet, RI 02814 71%2,473$110,764$390,500$298 cheaper homes ($280K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Oak Ridge, NJ 07438 71%2,372$123,271$436,900$280 cheaper homes ($234K less) · smaller · younger residents
Moneta, VA 24121 71%2,272$81,006$391,800$299 cheaper homes ($279K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Pine, CO 80470 71%1,042$135,682$681,300$304 higher income ($30K more) · smaller · older homes
Julian, CA 92036 71%1,090$73,750$591,400$408 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($79K less) · smaller
Copperopolis, CA 95228 71%713$107,899$484,500$286 cheaper homes ($186K less) · smaller · younger residents
Auburn, CA 95602 71%639$97,466$688,500$339 13 min shorter commute
Rochester, MA 02770 70%2,516$120,320$601,200$348 cheaper homes ($70K less) · smaller · younger residents

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.