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 Oroville, WA 98844

Oroville: median income $44,201, home value $293,800, $252/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Jefferson, NC 28640 90%2,086$53,155$282,900$264 Very close on everything we compare
Weiser, ID 83672 88%344$51,045$272,800$225 larger
Mc Caysville, GA 30555 86%2,015$49,375$203,800$199 cheaper homes ($90K less) · smaller
Salmon, ID 83467 86%369$53,917$316,700$265 Very close on everything we compare
Gerber, CA 96035 86%629$49,760$237,900$258 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Sparta, NC 28675 85%2,096$44,560$215,300$218 cheaper homes ($79K less) · older residents
West Jefferson, NC 28694 85%2,085$58,486$273,200$266 larger
Apalachicola, FL 32320 85%2,237$46,713$241,500$279 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Troy, MT 59935 85%164$39,712$371,400$307 pricier homes ($78K more) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Eureka Springs, AR 72632 85%1,553$46,354$247,300$223 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Babson Park, FL 33827 84%2,478$54,556$230,300$216 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller
Huntsville, OH 43324 84%1,826$56,466$256,500$254 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Pine River, MN 56474 84%1,163$59,922$238,600$238 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Cedar Bluff, AL 35959 83%1,997$52,356$234,500$246 cheaper homes ($59K less) · 7 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Cole Camp, MO 65325 83%1,486$53,942$230,000$160 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller
Myrtle Point, OR 97458 83%464$51,760$276,200$226 7 min longer commute
Fryeburg, ME 04037 82%2,289$54,414$278,200$260 older residents
Greenville, VA 24440 82%2,126$46,178$280,300$207 smaller · younger residents
Bryson City, NC 28713 82%2,039$50,882$221,900$258 cheaper homes ($72K less) · larger
Elsinore, UT 84724 82%795$49,438$238,200$249 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller
Garberville, CA 95542 82%649$46,104$395,500$212 pricier homes ($102K more) · smaller
Doyle, CA 96109 82%619$43,988$259,900$185 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Parksley, VA 23421 81%2,293$52,759$188,500$181 cheaper homes ($105K less) · more renters
Flintstone, GA 30725 81%1,977$49,699$218,100$150 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Belvidere, TN 37306 81%1,932$39,375$223,400$248 cheaper homes ($70K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute

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.