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 Riverside, WA 98849

Riverside: median income $63,875, home value $277,200, $408/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Walkersville, WV 26447 82%2,039$64,688$207,900— cheaper homes ($69K less) · younger residents
Harkers Island, NC 28531 82%2,380$60,000$313,100$401 pricier homes ($36K more) · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Winkelman, AZ 85192 82%1,163$59,922$161,800— cheaper homes ($115K less) · larger
Macon, NC 27551 81%2,241$59,375$175,000$312 cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger
Palmyra, TN 37142 80%1,818$59,083$267,400$254 more homeowners
Isle, MN 56342 80%1,227$63,295$246,500$269 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Thornton, TX 76687 80%1,686$73,323$254,500$326 larger · younger residents
Penhook, VA 24137 78%2,149$65,361$210,400$451 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Welaka, FL 32193 78%2,387$56,528$280,600$225 more apartments and townhomes
Horseshoe Bend, ID 83629 77%355$72,500$398,000$296 pricier homes ($121K more) · larger
Moapa, NV 89025 77%852$59,777$316,800$254 pricier homes ($40K more) · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Pittsburg, NH 03592 76%2,255$61,094$279,500$293 more homeowners · more single-family homes
Green Mountain, NC 28740 76%2,069$48,214$213,000$310 cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger · younger residents
Houston, AL 35572 76%1,928$70,911$305,000$468 pricier homes ($28K more) · 8 min longer commute · more homeowners
Turners Station, KY 40075 76%1,840$64,375$164,000$250 cheaper homes ($113K less)
Gouldsboro, ME 04607 75%2,419$60,152$253,400$270 more single-family homes
Willis, VA 24380 75%2,113$57,778$224,400$264 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · younger residents
Rock Cave, WV 26234 75%2,049$61,250$206,500— cheaper homes ($71K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Tygh Valley, OR 97063 75%240$58,490$278,100$253 9 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Ivanhoe, NC 28447 74%2,307$77,134$241,300— cheaper homes ($36K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Ferguson, NC 28624 74%2,103$51,836$202,500$258 cheaper homes ($75K less) · 7 min longer commute · older homes
Steinhatchee, FL 32359 74%2,304$51,125$228,100$275 cheaper homes ($49K less) · more homeowners
De Soto, WI 54624 74%1,400$81,518$186,000$258 cheaper homes ($91K less)
Eucha, OK 74342 74%1,499$57,321$160,500$269 cheaper homes ($117K less) · larger · younger residents
Swan Lake, NY 12783 73%2,198$67,778$248,200$251 cheaper homes ($29K less) · more single-family homes

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.