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 Mesa, WA 99343

Mesa: median income $59,451, home value $253,000, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Unity, ME 04988 86%2,372$62,929$203,600$251 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller
Morrisville, NY 13408 86%2,122$68,750$178,400$130 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Hamilton City, CA 95951 83%494$70,294$330,100$285 pricier homes ($77K more) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Ada, OH 45810 82%1,794$63,451$167,900$138 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger
Gordonville, PA 17529 79%2,182$80,050$362,100$232 pricier homes ($109K more) · larger · older residents
East Flat Rock, NC 28726 79%2,047$54,152$198,400$237 cheaper homes ($55K less) · older residents
Declo, ID 83323 79%396$60,625$339,900$225 pricier homes ($87K more) · smaller · older residents
Wendell, ID 83355 79%342$65,764$283,300$227 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger · older residents
Wellington, UT 84542 79%644$61,466$179,500$130 cheaper homes ($74K less) · smaller · older residents
Joseph City, AZ 86032 79%923$73,194$177,000— cheaper homes ($76K less)
Banner, KY 41603 78%1,951$62,986$202,200$103 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller · older residents
Big Lake, TX 76932 78%1,404$57,813$171,500— cheaper homes ($82K less) · older residents
American Falls, ID 83211 78%408$65,483$209,200$168 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger · older residents
Gooding, ID 83330 78%332$60,842$254,900$235 larger · older residents · more single-family homes
Humboldt, AZ 86329 78%909$58,875$286,300$187 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller · newer homes
Slippery Rock, PA 16057 77%1,965$58,288$242,900$181 larger · 7 min longer commute
Fort Branch, IN 47648 77%1,697$65,000$213,000$168 cheaper homes ($40K less) · older residents
Corpus Christi, TX 78409 77%1,748$60,089$172,600$129 cheaper homes ($80K less) · older residents
Farmersville, CA 93223 77%710$60,661$248,500$268 larger · more single-family homes
Hoopa, CA 95546 77%444$61,607$253,400$118 older residents · 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Nyssa, OR 97913 77%214$55,921$240,600$245 larger · more single-family homes · older homes
Christiana, PA 17509 76%2,189$77,238$331,600$215 pricier homes ($79K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Berne, IN 46711 76%1,744$70,656$173,200$116 cheaper homes ($80K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Mayville, ND 58257 76%1,026$60,395$196,200$242 cheaper homes ($57K less) · older residents · more renters
Lone Grove, OK 73443 76%1,427$58,906$184,500$135 cheaper homes ($69K less) · older residents · 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.