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 Hill City, SD 57745

Hill City: median income $88,194, home value $343,900, $390/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Clinton, MT 59825 92%529$90,192$369,900$513 pricier homes ($26K more)
Bonner, MT 59823 90%538$82,813$474,100$349 pricier homes ($130K more)
Leasburg, NC 27291 89%1,382$89,610$269,900$302 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Absarokee, MT 59001 89%309$82,692$359,000$271 older homes
Ennis, MT 59729 88%410$83,365$480,300$408 pricier homes ($136K more) · larger
Searsmont, ME 04973 87%1,691$87,000$284,000$292 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Grand Isle, VT 05458 87%1,489$101,728$403,200$297 pricier homes ($59K more)
Park City, MT 59063 87%287$99,432$449,200$280 pricier homes ($105K more)
Cordova, MD 21625 86%1,464$83,250$372,200$374 pricier homes ($28K more)
Elkhart, IA 50073 86%530$100,972$274,700$264 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller
Madison Lake, MN 56063 86%484$102,391$416,300$297 pricier homes ($72K more) · larger
Barnstead, NH 03218 85%1,605$112,500$346,900$335 smaller
Bowdoin, ME 04287 85%1,659$91,239$292,800$251 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Milton, NY 12547 85%1,501$88,778$377,200$255 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger
Lolo, MT 59847 85%547$86,620$449,600$342 pricier homes ($106K more) · larger · younger residents
Entiat, WA 98822 85%843$86,103$383,600$340 pricier homes ($40K more) · 5 min longer commute
Hope Valley, RI 02832 84%1,615$105,976$432,300$270 pricier homes ($88K more) · larger
Chichester, NH 03258 84%1,600$108,906$410,100$271 pricier homes ($66K more)
Center Tuftonboro, NH 03816 84%1,601$88,971$426,700$300 pricier homes ($83K more) · more homeowners
Durham, ME 04222 84%1,650$99,181$322,200$301 larger · more homeowners
Cushing, ME 04563 84%1,694$83,500$409,800$376 pricier homes ($66K more) · older residents · 5 min shorter commute
Franklin, VT 05457 84%1,506$96,875$279,200$297 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Mount Tremper, NY 12457 84%1,480$90,667$435,700$379 pricier homes ($92K more) · smaller
Wilmington, NY 12997 84%1,466$82,344$322,600$331 smaller · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Mc Henry, MD 21541 84%1,278$82,955$342,500$258 7 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.