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 Chinook, MT 59523

Chinook: median income $73,906, home value $218,300, 14-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Oriskany, NY 13424 92%1,658$84,844$208,200$163 Very close on everything we compare
Atkinson, NE 68713 92%647$77,500$195,000— newer homes
Dawson, MN 56232 91%671$75,069$172,300$92 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Spearville, KS 67876 91%882$71,964$183,900$142 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller
Coulee Dam, WA 99116 91%448$65,946$238,900$165 Very close on everything we compare
New Hampton, IA 50659 90%897$78,153$206,900$122 larger
Freeman, SD 57029 90%669$73,750$179,700$107 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Hillsboro, KS 67063 90%927$72,083$155,500$84 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Hoxie, KS 67740 90%772$75,417$186,600— cheaper homes ($32K less) · newer homes
Gothenburg, NE 69138 90%689$77,604$199,300$105 larger
Grant, NE 69140 90%648$70,417$160,800— cheaper homes ($58K less)
Smithville, OH 44677 89%1,436$75,435$230,600$247 Very close on everything we compare
Mountain Lake, MN 56159 89%753$71,648$161,800$96 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Parkston, SD 57366 89%647$78,155$184,600$104 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Platte, SD 57369 89%607$78,100$237,400— newer homes
Mobridge, SD 57601 89%464$66,003$154,600$91 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Hillsboro, ND 58045 89%568$86,484$211,800$163 newer homes
Ellendale, ND 58436 89%532$69,286$164,100$110 cheaper homes ($54K less) · younger residents
Oakes, ND 58474 89%542$72,969$160,700$342 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Osceola, NE 68651 89%764$78,487$191,300$99 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Minden, NE 68959 89%752$70,167$221,400$107 larger · 7 min longer commute
Union Springs, NY 13160 88%1,607$86,029$185,600$168 cheaper homes ($33K less) · 6 min longer commute
Bluffton, OH 45817 88%1,344$76,848$210,100$173 larger · 6 min longer commute
Osage, IA 50461 88%867$68,886$180,400$134 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger
Blue Earth, MN 56013 88%799$71,553$176,900$103 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger

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.