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 Belfair, WA 98528

Belfair: median income $91,058, home value $430,200, $303/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Colfax, CA 95713 94%586$87,839$487,000$312 pricier homes ($57K more)
Silt, CO 81652 93%939$101,038$530,000$310 pricier homes ($100K more) · smaller
Taneytown, MD 21787 92%2,318$91,682$355,000$208 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Pollock Pines, CA 95726 92%610$91,128$424,200$259 Very close on everything we compare
Estacada, OR 97023 92%151$76,762$562,600$280 pricier homes ($132K more)
Platteville, CO 80651 91%1,029$81,586$474,700$277 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller
Calhan, CO 80808 91%1,099$85,500$411,100$235 smaller
Melba, ID 83641 91%417$84,730$425,700$296 smaller
Ione, CA 95640 91%637$97,000$450,500$280 6 min shorter commute
Greenbrier, TN 37073 90%1,985$89,065$367,200$232 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Carver, MA 02330 88%2,543$91,250$434,200$357 Very close on everything we compare
Buxton, ME 04093 88%2,502$100,144$356,800$332 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Woodford, VA 22580 88%2,360$93,603$353,800$248 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller
Bealeton, VA 22712 88%2,329$103,618$412,900$248 younger residents
Lula, GA 30554 88%2,210$91,619$305,300$198 cheaper homes ($125K less)
Eustis, FL 32736 88%2,546$96,542$386,000$230 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Ashland City, TN 37015 88%1,979$79,092$299,900$237 cheaper homes ($130K less) · larger
Fairview, TN 37062 88%1,987$91,750$379,600$247 cheaper homes ($51K less)
North Branch, MN 55056 88%1,422$95,679$331,300$208 cheaper homes ($99K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Tehachapi, CA 93561 88%881$87,357$408,800$252 larger
Coarsegold, CA 93614 88%724$87,869$379,900$224 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Foresthill, CA 95631 88%588$104,402$496,900$296 pricier homes ($67K more) · smaller
Winchendon, MA 01475 87%2,460$76,552$323,800$251 cheaper homes ($106K less)
Gloucester, VA 23061 87%2,426$91,626$344,500$239 cheaper homes ($86K less) · larger
Goochland, VA 23063 87%2,344$81,553$363,200$255 cheaper homes ($67K less) · 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.