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 Soap Lake, WA 98851

Soap Lake: median income $63,333, home value $242,800, $234/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Wendell, ID 83355 93%395$65,764$283,300$227 pricier homes ($41K more)
Carlin, NV 89822 89%490$60,898$179,700$178 cheaper homes ($63K less) · smaller
Willows, CA 95988 89%560$66,339$297,200$241 pricier homes ($54K more) · larger
Linwood, NC 27299 88%2,148$65,621$196,500$185 cheaper homes ($46K less) · newer homes
Frazeysburg, OH 43822 88%1,910$60,266$207,300$195 cheaper homes ($36K less) · 6 min longer commute
Plummer, ID 83851 88%123$57,356$251,200$290 smaller · more single-family homes
Los Molinos, CA 96055 88%523$59,798$305,200$194 pricier homes ($62K more) · older residents
Ohkay Owingeh, NM 87566 87%1,042$61,029$238,500— smaller · more homeowners
Searsport, ME 04974 86%2,395$64,303$224,400$290 smaller · older residents
Morrison, TN 37357 86%1,899$59,268$168,400$225 cheaper homes ($74K less) · newer homes
Eminence, KY 40019 86%1,828$60,761$220,200$165 more single-family homes
Lomira, WI 53048 86%1,516$74,464$239,700$232 older residents · newer homes
Payette, ID 83661 86%260$59,351$302,300$250 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Umatilla, OR 97882 86%103$69,223$244,800$232 larger · newer homes
Pittsfield, NH 03263 85%2,318$74,318$294,800$241 pricier homes ($52K more) · older residents
Lucama, NC 27851 85%2,262$66,750$161,600$180 cheaper homes ($81K less)
North Freedom, WI 53951 85%1,455$71,970$190,400$182 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller
Anderson, MO 64831 85%1,474$63,254$166,800$175 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Jamestown, CA 95327 85%658$68,040$372,300$270 pricier homes ($130K more) · larger · older residents
Siletz, OR 97380 85%280$60,132$277,200— pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller · older residents
Boardman, OR 97818 85%108$61,523$275,700$226 pricier homes ($33K more) · more walkable
Stuyvesant, NY 12173 84%2,233$76,607$225,600$228 smaller
Liberty, NC 27298 84%2,180$69,421$214,700$200 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger · older residents
Butner, NC 27509 84%2,208$73,136$215,200$191 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger · older residents
South Pittsburg, TN 37380 84%1,931$59,304$194,500$218 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger · 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.