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 Whitehall, MT 59759

Whitehall: median income $60,571, home value $353,900, $335/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cathlamet, WA 98612 96%539$59,583$429,600$318 pricier homes ($76K more)
Mcgregor, MN 55760 92%898$59,474$274,600$276 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Hotchkiss, CO 81419 90%537$59,735$364,200$324 6 min longer commute
Chewelah, WA 99109 90%314$62,391$327,400$235 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Gravois Mills, MO 65037 89%1,117$66,360$284,100$256 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Randle, WA 98377 89%467$56,167$424,300$397 pricier homes ($70K more) · 6 min longer commute
Elizaville, NY 12523 88%1,905$54,235$343,400$322 smaller
Siren, WI 54872 88%948$60,787$233,200$258 cheaper homes ($121K less)
Kooskia, ID 83539 88%184$57,885$347,500$260 Very close on everything we compare
Lower Lake, CA 95457 88%719$63,594$488,800$241 pricier homes ($135K more)
Lakeside, OR 97449 88%611$66,000$316,700$272 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller · older residents
Gold Hill, OR 97525 88%593$72,025$450,200$246 pricier homes ($96K more)
Ridgeway, SC 29130 87%1,816$63,963$265,500$273 cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger
Holcombe, WI 54745 87%1,013$67,891$255,200$252 cheaper homes ($99K less) · smaller
Fryeburg, ME 04037 86%1,994$54,414$278,200$260 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Arapahoe, NC 28510 86%1,983$58,839$264,100$240 cheaper homes ($90K less) · smaller
Panacea, FL 32346 86%1,851$61,700$267,200$257 cheaper homes ($87K less) · smaller
Waldport, OR 97394 86%589$60,660$374,200$301 more walkable
Morton, WA 98356 86%486$60,060$308,500$279 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Newport, WA 99156 86%285$65,271$378,400$334 larger · younger residents
Grandy, NC 27939 85%1,983$62,463$306,100$247 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller · newer homes
Walker, MN 56484 85%837$67,019$311,200$272 cheaper homes ($43K less) · newer homes
Rocky Mount, MO 65072 85%1,121$78,750$335,700$286 smaller
Shell Knob, MO 65747 85%1,150$55,060$289,900$250 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Crawford, CO 81415 85%547$59,141$330,900$333 smaller · 5 min shorter commute

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.