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 Deadwood, SD 57732

Deadwood: median income $43,636, home value $232,300, $241/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Nucla, CO 81424 88%490$39,960$206,000— cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Glade Valley, NC 28627 82%1,309$46,474$246,400$212 7 min longer commute · newer homes
Crosby, MN 56441 82%494$50,298$208,700$209 larger · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
South Bend, WA 98586 80%983$50,893$261,000$213 pricier homes ($29K more) · younger residents
Thomaston, ME 04861 79%1,697$56,435$271,700$237 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger · older homes
Loyalton, CA 96118 79%905$54,167$243,800$229 younger residents · more homeowners
Willow Creek, CA 95573 77%1,036$47,258$388,100$223 pricier homes ($156K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Port Orford, OR 97465 77%1,043$43,777$342,100$273 pricier homes ($110K more) · 7 min longer commute · newer homes
Apalachicola, FL 32320 76%1,439$46,713$241,500$279 larger · younger residents · newer homes
Del Norte, CO 81132 76%486$55,000$209,500$235 larger · younger residents
East Tawas, MI 48730 74%998$49,823$157,200$172 cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger · younger residents
Mc Gregor, IA 52157 74%633$52,625$193,500$130 cheaper homes ($39K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Cotter, AR 72626 74%812$36,417$266,000$161 pricier homes ($34K more) · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners
Colebrook, NH 03576 73%1,575$52,682$214,900$204 larger · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Lubec, ME 04652 73%1,789$52,083$187,800$221 cheaper homes ($45K less) · 8 min longer commute · more homeowners
Hot Springs, MT 59845 73%569$31,970$191,100$179 cheaper homes ($41K less) · younger residents
Libby, MT 59923 72%626$44,980$272,000$253 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger · younger residents
Tombstone, AZ 85638 72%939$37,604$184,000$242 cheaper homes ($48K less) · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners
Burney, CA 96013 72%940$53,688$227,500$175 larger · younger residents
Canyonville, OR 97417 72%980$50,217$246,200$269 younger residents · newer homes
Cherryfield, ME 04622 71%1,749$43,854$165,900$251 cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller · 10 min longer commute
Elizabethtown, NY 12932 71%1,481$56,771$183,900$255 cheaper homes ($48K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Meadows Of Dan, VA 24120 71%1,328$46,901$205,200$220 cheaper homes ($27K less) · 11 min longer commute · more homeowners
Ronda, NC 28670 71%1,322$49,567$155,800$176 cheaper homes ($77K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Halfway, OR 97834 71%658$43,889$366,300— pricier homes ($134K more) · younger residents · 6 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.