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 59405

Great Falls: median income $59,449, home value $250,100, $194/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Green Bay, WI 54304 97%1,129$63,865$220,600$192 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Rapid City, SD 57701 97%451$56,461$251,200$211 Very close on everything we compare
Waterville, ME 04901 92%1,984$57,403$204,700$181 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Bloomsburg, PA 17815 92%1,764$67,510$222,900$160 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Eau Claire, WI 54703 92%959$71,518$243,700$178 Very close on everything we compare
Winona, MN 55987 92%969$61,624$221,800$157 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Bismarck, ND 58501 92%494$68,755$279,700$161 pricier homes ($30K more)
Waco, TX 76710 92%1,329$58,186$250,300$155 Very close on everything we compare
Plattsburgh, NY 12901 91%1,803$60,942$189,400$166 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Green Bay, WI 54303 91%1,126$60,781$178,600$179 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Stevens Point, WI 54481 91%1,057$59,545$201,000$168 cheaper homes ($49K less) · younger residents
Aberdeen, SD 57401 91%623$68,835$226,200$223 Very close on everything we compare
Alamosa, CO 81101 91%744$54,844$240,400$183 smaller
Las Cruces, NM 88005 91%1,075$54,452$220,800$168 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Knoxville, TN 37921 90%1,602$60,013$226,300$220 Very close on everything we compare
Fond Du Lac, WI 54935 90%1,127$63,144$180,200$169 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Grand Junction, CO 81501 90%597$53,666$314,700$255 pricier homes ($65K more)
Riverton, WY 82501 90%342$60,449$237,800$164 smaller
Pocatello, ID 83204 90%326$57,146$263,500$168 smaller
High Point, NC 27262 89%1,780$65,006$236,500$155 Very close on everything we compare
Fayetteville, NC 28303 89%1,865$58,223$189,500$142 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Greenwood, SC 29649 89%1,760$54,585$235,100$168 Very close on everything we compare
Fairborn, OH 45324 89%1,452$64,979$184,200$155 cheaper homes ($66K less) · 5 min longer commute
Sheboygan, WI 53081 89%1,161$64,042$180,100$178 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Mitchell, SD 57301 89%689$65,620$208,200$155 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller

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.