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 Palmdale, CA 93550

Palmdale: median income $62,078, home value $420,600, $310/sq ft, 40-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hesperia, CA 92345 85%45$69,485$400,800$273 more homeowners
Victorville, CA 92395 84%46$62,102$375,400$257 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · more walkable
Lancaster, CA 93535 83%24$70,360$381,100$276 cheaper homes ($40K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Hemet, CA 92544 80%81$73,596$404,500$278 smaller · more homeowners
Perris, CA 92570 79%62$79,393$471,200$366 pricier homes ($51K more) · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Madera, CA 93638 79%212$62,374$325,100$279 cheaper homes ($96K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
San Jacinto, CA 92583 77%79$68,351$372,500$290 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Immokalee, FL 34142 76%2,247$62,333$317,800$203 cheaper homes ($103K less) · smaller · newer homes
Moreno Valley, CA 92553 74%60$78,246$453,100$361 pricier homes ($33K more) · 8 min shorter commute · more walkable
Antioch, CA 94509 74%323$86,196$584,100$342 pricier homes ($164K more) · older residents
Marysville, CA 95901 73%379$69,776$381,000$264 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
Adelanto, CA 92301 72%40$68,676$348,100$252 cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Apple Valley, CA 92307 72%51$77,106$428,400$244 smaller · older residents · more homeowners
Apple Valley, CA 92308 72%51$66,568$383,600$241 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller · older residents
Fontana, CA 92335 72%43$77,949$462,400$407 pricier homes ($42K more) · 10 min shorter commute · more walkable
Victorville, CA 92394 72%43$78,466$385,400$238 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller · more homeowners
San Bernardino, CA 92404 72%51$66,701$426,300$356 7 min shorter commute · more walkable · older homes
Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 72%67$86,862$502,200$310 pricier homes ($82K more) · more homeowners
Modesto, CA 95351 72%275$58,275$343,500$309 cheaper homes ($77K less) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
Homestead, FL 33033 71%2,322$69,635$399,300$264 5 min shorter commute · more walkable · newer homes
Waianae, HI 96792 71%2,586$87,509$569,400$441 higher income ($25K more) · pricier homes ($149K more) · smaller
Lawrenceville, GA 30046 69%1,940$67,268$339,800$178 cheaper homes ($81K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
King City, CA 93930 69%211$75,577$444,700$357 smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Pittsburg, CA 94565 69%327$95,556$583,800$364 higher income ($33K more) · pricier homes ($163K more)
Stockton, CA 95210 69%307$67,991$362,300$281 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller · 12 min shorter commute

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.

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