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 East Helena, MT 59635

East Helena: median income $83,740, home value $395,600, $277/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Gray, ME 04039 95%2,007$95,125$357,500$270 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Medical Lake, WA 99022 95%282$93,812$389,700$245 Very close on everything we compare
Berwick, ME 03901 94%1,998$94,771$369,100$261 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Pequot Lakes, MN 56472 94%835$81,328$342,500$254 cheaper homes ($53K less)
South Berwick, ME 03908 93%2,002$98,289$425,700$274 pricier homes ($30K more)
East Troy, WI 53120 93%1,179$96,345$336,300$260 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210 92%1,930$90,013$370,500$283 cheaper homes ($25K less) · larger
Cicero, IN 46034 92%1,367$91,466$311,100$210 cheaper homes ($85K less)
Hope Valley, RI 02832 91%2,003$105,976$432,300$270 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller
Bristol, VT 05443 91%1,873$88,594$356,600$238 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Lutz, FL 33549 91%2,039$89,343$385,900$248 larger · 5 min longer commute
Old Hickory, TN 37138 91%1,484$85,149$363,000$233 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Belleville, WI 53508 91%1,124$99,948$350,700$230 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Evansville, WI 53536 91%1,138$87,667$304,900$209 cheaper homes ($91K less)
Milton, WI 53563 91%1,153$89,528$293,800$229 cheaper homes ($102K less)
Bayfield, CO 81122 91%682$93,714$459,800$322 pricier homes ($64K more)
Penrose, CO 81240 91%664$90,417$341,400$244 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
Creswell, OR 97426 91%572$90,125$488,000$284 pricier homes ($92K more)
Cashmere, WA 98815 91%409$88,108$554,300$310 pricier homes ($159K more)
Topsham, ME 04086 90%2,024$91,028$360,800$296 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Valatie, NY 12184 90%1,887$98,622$355,200$276 cheaper homes ($40K less) · older residents
Etowah, NC 28729 90%1,703$84,413$321,000$244 cheaper homes ($75K less) · smaller
Piney Flats, TN 37686 90%1,670$84,264$352,200$211 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Whitmore Lake, MI 48189 90%1,407$87,145$313,400$217 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger
Lowell, MI 49331 90%1,319$91,800$315,300$224 cheaper homes ($80K 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.