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 Billings, MT 59101

Billings: median income $58,598, home value $268,700, $214/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Rapid City, SD 57701 97%282$56,461$251,200$211 Very close on everything we compare
Green Bay, WI 54304 95%999$63,865$220,600$192 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Knoxville, TN 37921 92%1,440$60,013$226,300$220 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Roseburg, OR 97470 91%746$54,751$260,400$224 smaller
Yakima, WA 98902 91%578$63,092$263,200$206 older homes
Waterville, ME 04901 90%1,877$57,403$204,700$181 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller
Eau Claire, WI 54703 90%826$71,518$243,700$178 cheaper homes ($25K less)
Fond Du Lac, WI 54935 90%991$63,144$180,200$169 cheaper homes ($89K less)
Galveston, TX 77551 90%1,360$58,344$290,600$200 smaller
Grand Junction, CO 81501 90%463$53,666$314,700$255 pricier homes ($46K more) · smaller
Riverton, WY 82501 90%190$60,449$237,800$164 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Yakima, WA 98901 90%577$57,392$279,600$217 Very close on everything we compare
Chattanooga, TN 37412 89%1,425$62,508$209,900$175 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller
Green Bay, WI 54303 89%996$60,781$178,600$179 cheaper homes ($90K less) · smaller
Pueblo, CO 81001 89%555$48,417$220,200$156 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Pocatello, ID 83204 89%281$57,146$263,500$168 smaller
Las Cruces, NM 88005 89%934$54,452$220,800$168 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller
Augusta, ME 04330 88%1,875$54,775$217,300$211 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller · older residents
Bloomsburg, PA 17815 88%1,632$67,510$222,900$160 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Winchester, VA 22601 88%1,600$64,258$339,800$209 pricier homes ($71K more) · more renters
Salisbury, NC 28144 88%1,614$52,568$226,700$159 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Greenwood, SC 29649 88%1,596$54,585$235,100$168 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller
Menasha, WI 54952 88%985$69,196$213,200$188 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller
Hurst, TX 76053 88%1,078$64,141$270,900$196 7 min longer commute
Bangor, ME 04401 87%1,911$66,932$239,900$198 cheaper homes ($29K less)

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.