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 Lame Deer, MT 59043

Lame Deer: median income $29,028, home value $111,000, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Fort Washakie, WY 82514 83%213$31,667$92,200— smaller · older residents
Ruleville, MS 38771 80%1,179$33,547$86,100$38 older residents · more renters
Cardwell, MO 63829 80%1,074$28,281$68,100— cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller · more renters
Livingston, AL 35470 77%1,328$29,475$138,700$120 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger
Runge, TX 78151 76%1,251$26,597$100,900— smaller · newer homes
Hayti, MO 63851 75%1,087$28,705$77,600$45 cheaper homes ($33K less) · older residents
Hebbronville, TX 78361 74%1,337$42,211$129,400$59 larger
Batesville, TX 78829 74%1,213$28,517$73,400— cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller · older residents
Crystal City, TX 78839 74%1,225$37,365$103,700$70 larger · older residents
Browning, MT 59417 73%365$37,676$150,000— pricier homes ($39K more) · larger · older residents
Hindman, KY 41822 71%1,341$24,638$71,500$136 cheaper homes ($40K less) · older residents
Fort Yates, ND 58538 71%287$34,858$88,500— 7 min shorter commute · more renters
Alamo, GA 30411 70%1,572$30,238$103,900$112 larger · older residents
Cumberland, KY 40823 70%1,355$35,402$70,500$61 cheaper homes ($41K less) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Poplar, MT 59255 70%186$45,379$91,800— Very close on everything we compare
White Castle, LA 70788 70%1,353$33,079$138,100$33 pricier homes ($27K more) · older residents
Oilton, OK 74052 70%839$31,786$89,500$114 smaller · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Drew, MS 38737 69%1,172$28,343$77,800— cheaper homes ($33K less) · older residents · more renters
Bayou La Batre, AL 36509 68%1,441$33,488$86,500$112 smaller · older residents
Lake Providence, LA 71254 68%1,204$31,433$107,100— larger · older residents
Bayard, NM 88023 68%891$34,477$117,700$85 older residents
Rosedale, MS 38769 66%1,156$20,104$88,500— older residents
Fulton, KY 42041 66%1,110$36,045$105,900$87 larger · older residents
Ridgely, TN 38080 65%1,097$30,313$82,900$77 cheaper homes ($28K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Moorhead, MS 38761 65%1,193$33,625$62,900— cheaper homes ($48K less) · 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.