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.

Reset

Towns most like Great Falls, MT 59404

Great Falls: median income $83,867, home value $295,700, $199/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Casper, WY 82604 96%403$79,118$288,900$170 Very close on everything we compare
Owatonna, MN 55060 94%902$84,906$251,100$159 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Kaukauna, WI 54130 92%1,127$89,131$260,600$196 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Roanoke, VA 24019 90%1,735$77,870$260,800$161 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Grand Haven, MI 49417 90%1,255$83,405$316,300$248 Very close on everything we compare
Muskegon, MI 49445 90%1,244$84,877$232,200$204 cheaper homes ($64K less) · 6 min longer commute
Sheboygan, WI 53083 90%1,162$75,203$244,800$188 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Washington, MO 63090 90%1,193$85,025$273,600$189 6 min longer commute
Auburn, IN 46706 89%1,357$80,965$219,100$162 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Zeeland, MI 49464 89%1,269$98,319$344,400$203 pricier homes ($49K more) · newer homes
Effingham, IL 62401 89%1,277$82,374$217,500$140 cheaper homes ($78K less)
Pueblo, CO 81005 89%724$70,574$298,500$166 5 min longer commute
Lander, WY 82520 89%344$76,959$337,700$236 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
Spencerport, NY 14559 88%1,642$94,794$238,700$195 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller
Annville, PA 17003 88%1,784$92,209$250,300$196 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
Chambersburg, PA 17202 88%1,748$96,318$278,700$167 6 min longer commute
Swannanoa, NC 28778 88%1,692$73,408$303,300$256 smaller
Jenison, MI 49428 88%1,276$100,225$307,500$226 Very close on everything we compare
Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 88%1,135$82,783$245,900$201 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller
Blair, NE 68008 88%852$89,583$270,800$157 smaller
Abilene, TX 79602 88%1,208$89,551$248,100$194 cheaper homes ($48K less) · newer homes
Ludlow, MA 01056 87%1,919$84,838$335,300$251 pricier homes ($40K more) · older homes
Rochester, NY 14624 87%1,647$87,989$184,700$181 cheaper homes ($111K less)
Denver, PA 17517 87%1,808$99,202$296,700$204 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Salem, VA 24153 87%1,730$74,260$266,500$157 cheaper homes ($29K less) · more renters

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.