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 Big Timber, MT 59011

Big Timber: median income $78,000, home value $328,100, $211/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Garretson, SD 57030 95%674$79,375$327,400$214 Very close on everything we compare
Davenport, WA 99122 95%409$82,386$331,700$211 Very close on everything we compare
Bernardston, MA 01337 94%1,845$85,045$338,800$233 Very close on everything we compare
Lenhartsville, PA 19534 94%1,741$80,357$293,100$204 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller
Random Lake, WI 53075 94%1,087$93,750$297,100$212 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Glenwood, MN 56334 94%702$69,525$279,900$191 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger
Hinsdale, MA 01235 93%1,828$79,327$267,500$280 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Centre Hall, PA 16828 93%1,647$76,468$273,800$192 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger
Mathews, VA 23109 93%1,814$79,196$310,800$187 Very close on everything we compare
Bridgman, MI 49106 93%1,192$72,500$262,400$206 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Stoddard, WI 54658 93%930$73,438$249,800$216 cheaper homes ($78K less)
Waterville, MN 56096 93%806$87,679$278,000$160 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Lennox, SD 57039 93%665$83,787$290,400$230 cheaper homes ($38K less) · younger residents
Walpole, NH 03608 92%1,844$88,224$355,600$219 pricier homes ($28K more)
Trappe, MD 21673 92%1,789$68,194$363,100$205 pricier homes ($35K more)
Cedar Grove, WI 53013 92%1,094$84,375$277,900$236 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Oostburg, WI 53070 92%1,095$91,557$282,000$194 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Black Earth, WI 53515 92%1,011$92,625$361,300$218 pricier homes ($33K more)
Amherst, WI 54406 92%1,009$77,533$284,800$186 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Cumberland, WI 54829 92%864$66,538$245,800$217 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger
Turtle Lake, WI 54889 92%858$77,143$257,100$288 cheaper homes ($71K less)
Paynesville, MN 56362 92%736$86,212$258,900$188 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger
Pelican Rapids, MN 56572 92%666$79,475$298,800$226 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger
Hermann, MO 65041 92%1,066$70,368$249,200$179 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger
Oakhurst, CA 93644 92%769$81,196$396,300$250 pricier homes ($68K more) · larger

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.