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 Great Falls, MT 59401

Great Falls: median income $55,299, home value $223,200, $159/sq ft, 14-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Scranton, PA 18512 88%1,791$64,708$176,100$130 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Chattanooga, TN 37411 87%1,592$56,579$232,300$162 Very close on everything we compare
Appleton, WI 54911 87%1,118$67,001$216,100$174 larger
Williamsport, PA 17701 86%1,732$53,237$183,900$127 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
Augusta, GA 30904 86%1,801$46,696$199,200$134 larger · 5 min longer commute
Kalamazoo, MI 49001 86%1,303$56,432$157,300$137 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Dubuque, IA 52001 86%1,060$61,643$178,000$136 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
Brewer, ME 04412 85%2,018$66,613$245,300$194 newer homes
Scranton, PA 18504 85%1,788$55,036$160,900$130 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Pueblo, CO 81003 85%720$43,705$198,700$168 Very close on everything we compare
North Adams, MA 01247 84%1,873$52,330$205,200$173 older residents
Saint Johnsbury, VT 05819 84%1,878$62,411$197,500$171 cheaper homes ($26K less) · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Glens Falls, NY 12801 84%1,830$67,577$212,500$181 6 min longer commute
Scranton, PA 18505 84%1,790$52,398$156,700$121 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Canton, OH 44714 84%1,542$55,905$149,500$138 cheaper homes ($74K less) · newer homes
Pueblo, CO 81004 84%723$51,789$213,700$153 larger · 6 min longer commute
Fredonia, NY 14063 83%1,588$57,937$183,500$146 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Scranton, PA 18509 83%1,789$51,062$183,700$129 cheaper homes ($40K less) · more apartments and townhomes
New Orleans, LA 70121 83%1,652$59,562$247,900$175 older residents · 6 min longer commute
Abilene, TX 79605 83%1,204$62,929$163,600$143 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger · newer homes
Utica, NY 13502 82%1,761$57,835$158,000$154 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Watertown, NY 13601 82%1,707$58,791$172,600$144 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221 82%1,526$63,342$167,300$170 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Sheboygan, WI 53081 82%1,162$64,042$180,100$178 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger · newer homes
Scottsbluff, NE 69361 82%539$58,623$155,100$174 cheaper homes ($68K less) · newer homes

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.