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 59102

Billings: median income $76,141, home value $335,000, $175/sq ft, 15-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Duluth, MN 55811 93%783$79,804$321,000$228 smaller
Ocala, FL 34471 91%1,835$65,789$317,900$169 smaller
Maumee, OH 43537 91%1,272$82,752$253,300$172 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Erie, PA 16506 90%1,430$81,060$237,300$201 cheaper homes ($98K less) · smaller
Erie, PA 16509 90%1,433$68,846$220,500$169 cheaper homes ($115K less) · smaller
Christiansburg, VA 24073 90%1,565$76,800$253,200$190 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller
Onalaska, WI 54650 90%858$85,548$291,600$189 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller · newer homes
Omaha, NE 68137 90%699$80,739$252,200$160 cheaper homes ($83K less) · smaller
Cheyenne, WY 82001 90%372$75,362$316,500$189 younger residents
Neenah, WI 54956 89%986$85,869$256,900$191 cheaper homes ($78K less)
Bismarck, ND 58501 89%378$68,755$279,700$161 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller
Omaha, NE 68144 89%698$83,576$269,600$171 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller
Lewiston, ID 83501 89%399$73,629$340,600$224 Very close on everything we compare
Lewisburg, PA 17837 88%1,613$88,975$288,100$170 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller
Urbandale, IA 50322 88%794$92,085$276,200$202 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller
Sioux Falls, SD 57103 88%604$72,831$269,500$173 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Pierre, SD 57501 88%414$81,791$245,100$152 cheaper homes ($90K less) · smaller
Casper, WY 82609 88%233$71,010$293,900$169 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller
Palmyra, PA 17078 87%1,647$93,135$305,700$190 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Chattanooga, TN 37421 87%1,431$82,517$333,700$197 newer homes
Louisville, KY 40220 87%1,283$78,434$264,200$160 cheaper homes ($71K less) · 6 min longer commute
Paducah, KY 42001 87%1,190$71,365$215,300$143 cheaper homes ($120K less) · smaller
Lansing, MI 48917 87%1,199$70,990$222,900$149 cheaper homes ($112K less)
Racine, WI 53406 87%1,044$82,792$289,700$188 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Eau Claire, WI 54701 87%832$74,361$289,900$184 cheaper homes ($45K less) · younger 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.