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 Gallatin Gateway, MT 59730

Gallatin Gateway: median income $98,305, home value $1,014,200, $801/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
The Plains, VA 20198 80%1,760$106,518$933,000$521 cheaper homes ($81K less) · older residents · older homes
Holualoa, HI 96725 78%3,095$93,346$880,000$586 cheaper homes ($134K less) · larger · older residents
Santa Ynez, CA 93460 74%874$114,139$1,205,900$677 pricier homes ($192K more) · larger · older residents
Bonsall, CA 92003 72%890$113,216$926,700$451 cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger · older residents
Kalaheo, HI 96741 71%3,151$110,873$953,200$696 cheaper homes ($61K less) · larger · older residents
Salisbury, CT 06068 70%1,887$123,552$842,200$461 higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($172K less) · older residents
Penngrove, CA 94951 70%760$106,332$1,207,000$543 pricier homes ($193K more) · older residents · more walkable
Tahoe City, CA 96145 70%622$112,875$962,600$704 cheaper homes ($52K less) · more walkable · older homes
West Barnstable, MA 02668 69%2,041$111,731$709,300$459 cheaper homes ($305K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Westhampton Beach, NY 11978 69%1,954$125,179$1,054,000$822 higher income ($27K more) · pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
Haiku, HI 96708 69%3,049$100,664$1,105,400$844 pricier homes ($91K more) · larger
Kilauea, HI 96754 69%3,132$90,353$1,227,600$927 pricier homes ($213K more) · larger · older residents
Kula, HI 96790 69%3,058$100,693$1,037,700$897 larger · older residents · older homes
Templeton, CA 93465 68%838$129,259$870,100$579 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($144K less) · larger
Kaaawa, HI 96730 68%3,091$126,563$966,600$691 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller
Driggs, ID 83422 67%112$96,530$548,600$486 cheaper homes ($466K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Nederland, CO 80466 66%472$100,962$731,700$442 cheaper homes ($283K less) · larger · older residents
Aromas, CA 95004 66%795$130,744$877,300$600 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($137K less) · larger
Basalt, CO 81621 65%467$104,754$1,136,600$1,250 pricier homes ($122K more) · larger · older residents
Carbondale, CO 81623 65%469$109,661$913,300$681 cheaper homes ($101K less) · larger · older residents
Pescadero, CA 94060 65%804$127,973$1,401,500$838 higher income ($30K more) · pricier homes ($387K more) · smaller
Makawao, HI 96768 65%3,054$100,391$946,700$814 cheaper homes ($68K less) · larger · older residents
Oak Creek, CO 80467 64%414$102,143$663,500$404 cheaper homes ($351K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Buellton, CA 93427 64%878$102,857$867,500$567 cheaper homes ($147K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Soquel, CA 95073 63%800$118,169$1,062,800$699 pricier homes ($49K more) · larger · older residents

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.