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 Spokane, WA 99212

Spokane: median income $67,049, home value $361,500, $211/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Crescent City, CA 95531 94%527$67,458$351,400$247 Very close on everything we compare
The Dalles, OR 97058 94%233$62,181$370,100$252 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Albans, VT 05478 93%2,093$71,203$316,400$224 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Klamath Falls, OR 97603 93%436$66,937$282,800$205 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger
Brigham City, UT 84302 91%499$79,706$391,500$215 pricier homes ($30K more) · younger residents
Redding, CA 96001 91%552$72,484$401,500$255 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
Redding, CA 96002 91%551$73,222$367,200$254 larger
Red Bluff, CA 96080 91%572$66,076$343,700$232 Very close on everything we compare
Pendleton, OR 97801 91%155$71,639$293,000$197 cheaper homes ($69K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Absecon, NJ 08201 90%2,188$71,321$287,000$226 cheaper homes ($75K less) · smaller
Chesapeake, VA 23325 90%2,200$69,909$272,000$235 cheaper homes ($90K less)
Fortuna, CA 95540 90%595$63,695$389,500$266 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller · more renters
Coos Bay, OR 97420 90%454$61,574$311,500$224 cheaper homes ($50K less) · older residents
Madras, OR 97741 90%278$70,983$334,800$247 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Newark, DE 19713 89%2,123$76,493$292,600$215 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Nashville, TN 37218 89%1,739$61,919$349,900$261 Very close on everything we compare
Sioux Falls, SD 57103 89%1,033$72,831$269,500$173 cheaper homes ($92K less) · larger
Casper, WY 82601 89%629$67,642$249,100$174 cheaper homes ($112K less)
Newport News, VA 23601 88%2,181$71,279$243,800$204 cheaper homes ($118K less)
Hampton, VA 23669 88%2,187$71,222$260,400$187 cheaper homes ($101K less) · larger
Savannah, GA 31406 88%2,178$67,120$283,300$217 cheaper homes ($78K less) · larger
Melbourne, FL 32935 88%2,377$64,588$263,200$194 cheaper homes ($98K less) · larger
Janesville, WI 53546 88%1,413$75,825$239,400$192 cheaper homes ($122K less)
Shawnee, KS 66203 88%1,275$75,869$254,900$222 cheaper homes ($107K less)
Colorado Springs, CO 80915 88%877$72,352$350,600$199 younger residents

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.