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 Brush Prairie, WA 98606

Brush Prairie: median income $115,151, home value $735,500, $321/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Damascus, OR 97089 93%22$123,689$633,600$300 cheaper homes ($102K less)
West Greenwich, RI 02817 90%2,513$135,625$535,400$274 cheaper homes ($200K less) · smaller
Mendon, MA 01756 88%2,505$132,256$616,000$314 cheaper homes ($120K less) · smaller
Marstons Mills, MA 02648 88%2,570$129,681$593,600$438 cheaper homes ($142K less)
Kennebunkport, ME 04046 88%2,520$102,529$586,100$434 cheaper homes ($149K less)
Newcastle, CA 95658 88%478$126,581$837,700$450 pricier homes ($102K more) · smaller
Pelham, NH 03076 87%2,499$135,956$552,600$312 cheaper homes ($183K less)
Palo Cedro, CA 96073 87%356$120,469$567,000$274 cheaper homes ($169K less) · smaller
Banks, OR 97106 87%31$104,250$546,400$321 cheaper homes ($189K less) · smaller
Turner, OR 97392 87%65$109,237$576,000$314 cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Rehoboth, MA 02769 86%2,525$138,214$563,000$323 cheaper homes ($173K less) · older homes
Stevensville, MD 21666 86%2,369$123,645$494,300$278 cheaper homes ($241K less) · 5 min longer commute
Virginia Beach, VA 23457 86%2,460$116,250$571,000$312 cheaper homes ($165K less) · smaller · younger residents
Rescue, CA 95672 86%490$146,769$767,400$331 higher income ($32K more) · pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
Lakeville, MA 02347 85%2,540$133,984$565,900$358 cheaper homes ($170K less) · 7 min longer commute
Berkley, MA 02779 85%2,534$144,205$511,200$328 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($224K less)
Woodland Park, CO 80863 85%1,001$104,779$572,100$261 cheaper homes ($163K less)
North Plains, OR 97133 85%27$133,167$680,000$282 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller
Southampton, MA 01073 84%2,446$123,125$452,300$303 cheaper homes ($283K less) · smaller
Charlestown, RI 02813 84%2,519$109,404$525,500$412 cheaper homes ($210K less) · older residents
Oxford, CT 06478 84%2,449$128,953$472,400$285 cheaper homes ($263K less)
Auburn, CA 95602 84%472$97,466$688,500$339 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger · older residents
El Dorado, CA 95623 84%497$109,102$601,800$335 cheaper homes ($134K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Grass Valley, CA 95949 84%462$98,181$550,800$302 cheaper homes ($185K less) · larger · older residents
Dundee, OR 97115 84%40$117,446$526,200$336 cheaper homes ($209K 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.