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 Montgomery, MI 49255

Montgomery: median income $51,346, home value $141,400, $60/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Eldridge, AL 35554 92%564$49,250$112,000— cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
Burnsville, MS 38833 86%514$52,917$142,300— 5 min longer commute
Waynetown, IN 47990 85%165$63,198$119,600$81 smaller
Weiner, AR 72479 85%537$54,853$89,400$63 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller
Rutland, OH 45775 84%235$47,036$116,700— 8 min longer commute
Roscoe, TX 79545 84%1,077$58,482$109,900$81 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Geraldine, AL 35974 83%518$52,054$155,900$97 more renters · newer homes
Pleasant Hill, IL 62366 83%355$56,346$81,500$75 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Cisne, IL 62823 83%295$59,310$119,100— older residents · 5 min longer commute
Man, WV 25635 81%322$52,583$130,100— more renters
Fresno, OH 43824 81%188$54,757$183,700— pricier homes ($42K more) · larger · newer homes
Pierpont, OH 44082 81%220$51,687$151,800$115 Very close on everything we compare
Bridgeport, IL 62417 81%263$54,792$104,600$92 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Weir, KS 66781 81%611$58,400$109,400$77 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
Worthington, WV 26591 80%289$61,071$124,000$98 Very close on everything we compare
Randolph, MS 38864 80%577$54,130$161,500$79 5 min longer commute · newer homes
Alger, OH 45812 80%92$44,045$137,100$105 older residents
Seymour, IA 52590 80%437$66,833$167,600$58 pricier homes ($26K more) · 7 min longer commute
Xenia, IL 62899 80%296$55,482$147,800$50 7 min longer commute · more renters · newer homes
Puxico, MO 63960 80%439$57,875$146,500$67 larger · older residents · more renters
Ravenwood, MO 64479 80%521$61,184$150,700— smaller · older residents
Lewis Run, PA 16738 79%318$66,971$120,000$64 older residents
Atwood, IL 61913 79%233$65,500$128,700$73 smaller · older residents
Belle Rive, IL 62810 79%322$57,969$117,700— smaller · more renters
Norris City, IL 62869 79%322$62,159$119,500— older 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.