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 Scobey, MT 59263

Scobey: median income $53,875, home value $190,600, 11-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Elizabethtown, NY 12932 92%1,534$56,771$183,900$255 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Francis, KS 67756 91%652$54,868$129,600— cheaper homes ($61K less)
Eads, CO 81036 91%729$59,868$173,300— Very close on everything we compare
Ortonville, MN 56278 89%484$63,203$202,800$144 larger
Cooperstown, ND 58425 89%347$59,773$122,500— cheaper homes ($68K less)
Benkelman, NE 69021 89%630$54,375$156,900$687 cheaper homes ($34K less) · younger residents
North Clarendon, VT 05759 88%1,582$58,150$209,100$199 larger · newer homes
Burke, SD 57523 87%486$68,750$214,400$139 Very close on everything we compare
Dighton, KS 67839 87%754$54,028$145,200— cheaper homes ($45K less) · more homeowners
Washington, KS 66968 85%744$59,438$124,900$49 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Neligh, NE 68756 85%582$61,667$158,300$89 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · younger residents
Cambridge, NE 69022 85%642$64,719$152,400— cheaper homes ($38K less)
Sac City, IA 50583 84%668$62,981$144,700$74 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Buhl, MN 55713 84%589$59,036$129,300$49 cheaper homes ($61K less) · younger residents
Kimball, SD 57355 84%465$63,125$144,200— cheaper homes ($46K less) · younger residents
Tilden, NE 68781 84%593$67,212$171,700— 7 min longer commute
Ainsworth, NE 69210 84%508$56,625$123,300— cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger
Holly, CO 81047 84%762$43,050$185,000$44 Very close on everything we compare
Condon, OR 97823 84%737$57,727$150,500$72 cheaper homes ($40K less) · older residents
Painter, VA 23420 83%1,666$52,831$158,400$214 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · newer homes
Hurley, WI 54534 83%726$53,468$123,600$121 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Hendricks, MN 56136 83%519$68,281$225,600$133 pricier homes ($35K more) · older residents
Clark, SD 57225 83%452$66,875$155,100$77 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Sharon Springs, KS 67758 83%708$58,500$109,700$78 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Morrill, NE 69358 83%477$52,159$152,800$137 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger · 8 min longer 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.