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 Zillah, WA 98953

Zillah: median income $84,766, home value $368,300, $216/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Strasburg, PA 17579 96%2,235$91,621$349,400$240 Very close on everything we compare
Moosup, CT 06354 95%2,386$87,711$298,600$228 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Stevens, PA 17578 95%2,228$81,990$314,900$196 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Coopersville, MI 49404 95%1,687$86,096$295,100$195 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Shelley, ID 83274 95%451$92,669$379,300$185 larger
Atglen, PA 19310 93%2,246$82,371$315,700$231 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller
Fredonia, WI 53021 92%1,582$89,779$315,800$216 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller · older residents
Filer, ID 83328 92%385$70,851$331,300$258 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Harrisburg, OR 97446 92%204$78,229$339,300$289 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Kenai, AK 99611 92%1,582$79,757$308,500$245 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger
Dayville, CT 06241 91%2,383$88,389$298,200$234 cheaper homes ($70K less) · older residents
Gap, PA 17527 91%2,243$94,788$324,900$175 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Quarryville, PA 17566 91%2,239$78,108$306,200$233 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger
Dayton, VA 22821 91%2,144$84,603$267,100$225 cheaper homes ($101K less) · older residents
Baldwin, WI 54002 91%1,343$88,275$309,200$200 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Seymour, WI 54165 91%1,543$87,048$247,000$189 cheaper homes ($121K less)
Luxemburg, WI 54217 91%1,571$89,489$284,700$228 cheaper homes ($84K less) · older residents
Albany, MN 56307 91%1,229$84,097$281,400$179 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Laurel, MT 59044 91%553$87,648$346,500$231 larger
Pinedale, WY 82941 91%567$91,429$345,700$265 smaller
Buhl, ID 83316 91%377$69,593$310,300$240 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Thatcher, AZ 85552 91%1,090$88,454$290,900$194 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Rootstown, OH 44272 90%1,963$83,173$261,300$170 cheaper homes ($107K less)
Marshall, WI 53559 90%1,536$93,571$315,300$211 cheaper homes ($53K less) · older residents
Clear Lake, WI 54005 90%1,343$87,813$274,300$206 cheaper homes ($94K 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.