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 Yakima, WA 98901

Yakima: median income $57,392, home value $279,600, $217/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Brawley, CA 92227 97%977$59,362$291,500$249 Very close on everything we compare
El Centro, CA 92243 95%989$55,057$317,900$245 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger
Cleveland, TN 37311 91%2,002$47,153$226,800$195 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Billings, MT 59101 90%577$58,598$268,700$214 Very close on everything we compare
Weatherford, TX 76086 90%1,531$60,578$258,100$199 Very close on everything we compare
Gastonia, NC 28054 89%2,173$61,035$245,100$174 cheaper homes ($35K less) · 6 min longer commute
Springdale, AR 72764 89%1,539$65,898$249,800$205 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · newer homes
Grand Prairie, TX 75051 89%1,566$58,245$227,400$190 cheaper homes ($52K less) · 7 min longer commute
Ontario, OR 97914 89%246$50,857$249,200$191 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
Dover, DE 19901 88%2,303$66,388$273,000$183 Very close on everything we compare
Jacksonville, FL 32277 88%2,353$61,554$283,000$178 6 min longer commute
Memphis, TN 38134 88%1,769$60,622$207,000$145 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Arlington, TX 76014 88%1,563$60,333$234,600$166 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Greeley, CO 80631 88%900$54,591$336,600$209 pricier homes ($57K more) · larger
Cheyenne, WY 82007 88%867$58,745$234,200$200 cheaper homes ($45K less) · more homeowners
Bakersfield, CA 93308 88%776$62,445$323,000$240 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger
Milton Freewater, OR 97862 88%111$54,786$274,900$220 smaller
Gainesville, GA 30501 87%2,083$64,175$297,800$189 more renters
Pensacola, FL 32534 87%2,088$58,992$219,400$164 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller
Knoxville, TN 37921 87%2,010$60,013$226,300$220 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Louisville, KY 40219 87%1,853$55,720$204,200$167 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Great Falls, MT 59405 87%440$59,449$250,100$194 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Lakeland, FL 33805 86%2,439$62,661$197,500$178 cheaper homes ($82K less)
Knoxville, TN 37912 86%2,011$47,416$210,900$221 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Laredo, TX 78041 86%1,742$61,544$221,300$152 cheaper homes ($58K 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.