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 Dexter, OR 97431

Dexter: median income $60,714, home value $354,800, $342/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Arlee, MT 59821 90%480$66,458$375,200$312 Very close on everything we compare
Mossyrock, WA 98564 90%180$60,147$323,500$284 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Pittsfield, NH 03263 87%2,535$74,318$294,800$241 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger
Wassaic, NY 12592 87%2,464$71,696$267,500— cheaper homes ($87K less) · smaller
Charlo, MT 59824 87%484$53,382$317,800$247 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Saint Ignatius, MT 59865 87%484$56,473$345,300$394 larger · more single-family homes
Bunn, NC 27508 86%2,395$50,368$258,600— cheaper homes ($96K less)
Toms Brook, VA 22660 85%2,298$67,917$268,600$261 cheaper homes ($86K less) · smaller
Newport, MN 55055 85%1,466$71,979$378,100$245 larger
Olathe, CO 81425 85%853$73,682$343,400$306 larger
Ranchos De Taos, NM 87557 84%1,047$49,337$356,400$350 larger · 6 min shorter commute
Big Pine, CA 93513 84%524$67,292$330,300$265 7 min shorter commute
Reardan, WA 99029 84%354$69,919$343,700$227 younger residents
Center Ossipee, NH 03814 83%2,533$77,138$325,500$270 cheaper homes ($29K less) · 7 min longer commute
Springvale, ME 04083 83%2,555$72,207$272,000$246 cheaper homes ($83K less) · larger
Searsport, ME 04974 83%2,621$64,303$224,400$290 cheaper homes ($130K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Monteagle, TN 37356 83%2,041$59,026$298,300$264 cheaper homes ($57K less) · newer homes
Ignacio, CO 81137 83%924$63,860$335,300$372 larger · older residents · 5 min shorter commute
Los Molinos, CA 96055 83%270$59,798$305,200$194 cheaper homes ($50K less)
West Wareham, MA 02576 82%2,598$63,021$387,200$345 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger · older residents
Canaan, NH 03741 82%2,493$82,181$257,500$305 cheaper homes ($97K less) · larger
Lisbon Falls, ME 04252 82%2,578$73,476$258,500$236 cheaper homes ($96K less) · larger
Dover Plains, NY 12522 82%2,463$76,157$301,300$264 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger
Peralta, NM 87042 82%1,064$73,057$299,200$211 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Darrington, WA 98241 82%304$73,185$395,000$278 pricier homes ($40K more) · more single-family 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.