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 Hoquiam, WA 98550

Hoquiam: median income $55,040, home value $238,900, $155/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pueblo, CO 81004 93%1,146$51,789$213,700$153 cheaper homes ($25K less) · larger
Trinidad, CO 81082 90%1,193$58,589$244,700$143 Very close on everything we compare
Knoxville, TN 37914 89%2,179$59,856$218,300$186 larger · newer homes
Hazleton, PA 18202 88%2,377$55,153$212,000$161 cheaper homes ($27K less) · newer homes
Hammond, IN 46324 88%1,821$63,052$158,800$147 cheaper homes ($80K less) · larger
La Junta, CO 81050 88%1,199$57,180$199,000$97 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Dayton, OH 45414 87%2,029$54,485$182,300$145 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger · newer homes
Hammond, IN 46323 87%1,823$59,688$166,400$138 cheaper homes ($73K less) · larger · younger residents
Washington, IA 52353 87%1,631$63,047$160,500$128 cheaper homes ($78K less)
Joliet, IL 60433 87%1,797$66,515$172,300$173 cheaper homes ($67K less)
New Brighton, PA 15066 86%2,185$63,836$153,300$135 cheaper homes ($86K less)
Chattanooga, TN 37411 86%2,151$56,579$232,300$162 larger
Newton, IA 50208 86%1,556$62,306$168,900$169 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger · newer homes
Kansas City, MO 64138 86%1,576$58,638$188,400$142 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger · newer homes
Williamsport, PA 17702 85%2,323$70,210$196,900$146 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Louisville, KY 40213 85%2,012$55,897$173,600$169 cheaper homes ($65K less) · more walkable
Latonia, KY 41015 85%2,041$65,683$187,700$156 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Mount Vernon, OH 43050 85%2,092$64,108$220,300$168 larger · newer homes
New Philadelphia, OH 44663 85%2,139$61,551$180,100$172 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger · newer homes
Greenville, OH 45331 85%2,000$53,801$166,200$129 cheaper homes ($73K less) · larger · newer homes
Springfield, OH 45504 85%2,043$69,960$180,600$151 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Kenosha, WI 53143 85%1,778$68,343$200,500$184 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger
Beatrice, NE 68310 85%1,426$60,928$168,000$118 cheaper homes ($71K less)
Rocky Ford, CO 81067 85%1,193$50,028$154,800$139 cheaper homes ($84K less) · smaller
Springfield, VT 05156 84%2,473$66,679$204,300$162 cheaper homes ($35K less)

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.