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 Sanger, CA 93657

Sanger: median income $78,904, home value $396,200, $241/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Visalia, CA 93292 94%31$82,872$365,700$238 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Kingsburg, CA 93631 94%15$79,228$396,800$276 smaller
Fresno, CA 93725 93%12$72,232$281,800$257 cheaper homes ($114K less)
Magna, UT 84044 92%487$90,346$376,200$231 Very close on everything we compare
Sacramento, CA 95828 91%158$81,778$409,700$307 larger
Spokane, WA 99217 91%770$73,620$377,400$232 smaller
Richmond, VA 23237 90%2,301$79,606$277,100$196 cheaper homes ($119K less)
Nampa, ID 83651 90%499$69,914$338,900$243 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Orland, CA 95963 90%254$68,091$372,900$259 smaller
Springfield, TN 37172 89%1,803$72,168$312,600$219 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Caldwell, ID 83605 89%502$68,427$346,100$239 cheaper homes ($50K less) · more walkable
Mountain Home, ID 83647 89%488$63,760$320,400$225 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller
Shafter, CA 93263 89%86$71,528$334,500$225 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller · younger residents
Visalia, CA 93277 89%32$80,548$350,400$242 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Bakersfield, CA 93306 89%98$69,805$320,600$219 cheaper homes ($76K less) · larger
Reedley, CA 93654 89%10$65,574$351,200$237 cheaper homes ($45K less) · more renters
Escalon, CA 95320 89%109$82,572$521,900$306 pricier homes ($126K more) · smaller
Kelso, WA 98626 89%674$75,528$368,900$269 cheaper homes ($27K less) · older residents
Quarryville, PA 17566 88%2,340$78,108$306,200$233 cheaper homes ($90K less) · smaller
Salt Lake City, UT 84129 88%490$95,844$434,000$242 pricier homes ($38K more)
Ogden, UT 84404 88%513$85,057$396,800$228 larger
Hanford, CA 93230 88%28$76,023$345,000$237 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger · more walkable
Atwater, CA 95301 88%72$68,349$390,900$271 Very close on everything we compare
Livingston, CA 95334 88%79$76,277$377,000$244 smaller · newer homes
Dickson, TN 37055 87%1,780$69,821$294,600$237 cheaper homes ($102K less)

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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