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 Palouse, WA 99161

Palouse: median income $87,464, home value $302,600, $212/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Jeffersonville, NY 12748 90%2,088$86,927$242,700$245 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Lanesboro, MN 55949 88%1,234$84,327$277,400$161 cheaper homes ($25K less)
Norfolk, CT 06058 85%2,162$91,548$417,800$284 pricier homes ($115K more) · older residents
Rockfall, CT 06481 82%2,199$84,674$360,400$272 pricier homes ($58K more) · older residents · newer homes
Westport, NY 12993 80%2,091$80,139$222,500$194 cheaper homes ($80K less) · older residents
Barneveld, NY 13304 80%2,037$108,587$300,000$143 Very close on everything we compare
Centerville, SD 57014 80%1,014$77,000$261,400$139 cheaper homes ($41K less)
South Wales, NY 14139 79%1,892$86,402$285,100$226 newer homes
Thorntown, IN 46071 79%1,587$85,000$240,200$154 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger · newer homes
Kingsley, IA 51028 79%1,073$78,000$219,600$202 cheaper homes ($83K less) · larger · newer homes
Burnett, WI 53922 79%1,393$91,500$287,800$253 older residents
Gill, MA 01354 78%2,177$90,208$340,100$230 pricier homes ($38K more) · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
Northfield, MA 01360 78%2,178$103,375$375,800$206 pricier homes ($73K more) · larger · older residents
Cherry Valley, MA 01611 78%2,217$109,868$359,800$292 pricier homes ($57K more) · larger
Chaumont, NY 13622 78%1,971$81,065$234,700$180 cheaper homes ($68K less) · older residents
Hickory, PA 15340 78%1,878$82,431$291,000$211 older residents · 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Berkey, OH 43504 78%1,670$91,731$260,300$203 cheaper homes ($42K less) · older residents · more single-family homes
Chester, MA 01011 77%2,164$89,299$291,400$223 Very close on everything we compare
Erving, MA 01344 77%2,181$77,656$271,800$209 cheaper homes ($31K less) · newer homes
Ashaway, RI 02804 77%2,245$102,118$355,400$292 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger · newer homes
Berlin, NY 12022 77%2,135$96,875$208,100$221 cheaper homes ($95K less)
Malvern, IA 51551 77%1,140$85,469$212,400$250 cheaper homes ($90K less)
Plain, WI 53577 77%1,335$96,500$271,100$154 cheaper homes ($32K less) · newer homes
Ellendale, MN 56026 77%1,167$100,169$232,700$181 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Huntington, MA 01050 76%2,170$95,882$289,500$176 larger · 5 min longer commute · newer 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.