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 Chimacum, WA 98325

Chimacum: median income $79,191, home value $446,300, $570/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cushing, ME 04563 84%2,532$83,500$409,800$376 cheaper homes ($37K less) · more homeowners
Cashiers, NC 28717 84%2,208$76,085$440,000$615 older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Oldenburg, IN 47036 83%1,946$98,300$413,700— cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Bellevue, ID 83313 82%518$74,575$578,000$516 pricier homes ($132K more) · larger · younger residents
North Garden, VA 22959 81%2,303$95,461$548,800$414 pricier homes ($103K more)
Easton, MO 64443 81%1,502$86,042$300,000— cheaper homes ($146K less) · younger residents
New Meadows, ID 83654 80%372$91,750$534,600$403 pricier homes ($88K more) · more homeowners
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 79%1,690$73,784$432,200$406 older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Newcastle, ME 04553 77%2,518$89,868$398,000$321 cheaper homes ($48K less) · older homes
Glenville, NC 28736 77%2,204$70,855$428,400$373 smaller · more homeowners
Eastpoint, FL 32328 77%2,365$80,877$326,100$482 cheaper homes ($120K less) · larger · more homeowners
Buena Vista, CO 81211 77%1,044$88,083$677,400$409 pricier homes ($231K more) · larger
Carson City, NV 89705 77%635$79,901$470,200$351 larger
Ennis, MT 59729 76%556$83,365$480,300$408 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger · younger residents
Blue Hill, ME 04614 75%2,549$80,377$399,500$276 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Hickman, TN 38567 75%2,038$100,368$340,500— cheaper homes ($106K less) · smaller
Maple City, MI 49664 75%1,754$77,500$475,900$410 pricier homes ($30K more) · older residents · more homeowners
Afton, VA 22920 74%2,292$88,028$410,000$311 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Lakemont, GA 30552 74%2,207$66,316$354,700$390 cheaper homes ($92K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Donnelly, ID 83615 74%395$74,732$731,800$594 pricier homes ($286K more) · more homeowners
Sagle, ID 83860 74%288$71,563$597,500$482 pricier homes ($151K more) · larger · more homeowners
Mount Hood Parkdale, OR 97041 74%181$82,679$705,600$416 pricier homes ($259K more) · larger · older homes
Seal Rock, OR 97376 74%248$70,446$428,000$368 younger residents · older homes
Sublimity, OR 97385 74%217$84,796$494,600$308 pricier homes ($48K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Joseph, OR 97846 74%321$71,471$383,200$341 cheaper homes ($63K less) · older 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.