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 Rainier, WA 98576

Rainier: median income $104,896, home value $446,900, $297/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Silt, CO 81652 94%910$101,038$530,000$310 pricier homes ($83K more)
Cross Plains, TN 37049 92%1,968$90,048$368,800$315 cheaper homes ($78K less)
Bealeton, VA 22712 91%2,318$103,618$412,900$248 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger · younger residents
Hudson, CO 80642 91%1,016$105,225$620,000$247 pricier homes ($173K more)
Bennett, CO 80102 90%1,038$113,125$542,600$229 pricier homes ($96K more)
Calhan, CO 80808 90%1,073$85,500$411,100$235 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Melba, ID 83641 90%384$84,730$425,700$296 Very close on everything we compare
Foresthill, CA 95631 90%549$104,402$496,900$296 pricier homes ($50K more)
Partlow, VA 22534 89%2,339$105,469$348,800$267 cheaper homes ($98K less) · smaller · younger residents
Woodford, VA 22580 89%2,349$93,603$353,800$248 cheaper homes ($93K less)
Ault, CO 80610 89%993$92,153$424,800$283 6 min shorter commute
Montverde, FL 34756 88%2,532$108,500$545,300$282 pricier homes ($98K more)
Eagleville, TN 37060 88%2,001$97,386$490,800$271 pricier homes ($44K more) · more single-family homes
Huntley, MT 59037 88%688$105,099$354,100$223 cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller
Shafer, MN 55074 87%1,428$106,625$297,500$225 cheaper homes ($149K less) · smaller
Danville, NH 03819 86%2,492$112,335$436,300$296 Very close on everything we compare
North Berwick, ME 03906 86%2,499$105,156$432,900$325 7 min shorter commute
Lebanon, ME 04027 86%2,487$97,750$324,800$248 cheaper homes ($122K less)
Myakka City, FL 34251 86%2,566$92,005$481,900$345 pricier homes ($35K more) · older residents
Chapmansboro, TN 37035 86%1,955$94,068$325,100$243 cheaper homes ($122K less) · older residents
Lake Hughes, CA 93532 86%870$113,363$435,300$343 smaller · more single-family homes · older homes
Fremont, NH 03044 85%2,491$120,781$416,900$325 cheaper homes ($30K less) · older residents
New Ipswich, NH 03071 85%2,463$110,507$392,400$278 cheaper homes ($55K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Washingtonville, NY 10992 85%2,396$112,353$413,700$289 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger · more walkable
Scurry, TX 75158 85%1,702$100,263$293,600$183 cheaper homes ($153K 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.