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 Alberton, MT 59820

Alberton: median income $69,091, home value $367,400, $285/sq ft, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Idaho City, ID 83631 94%222$80,714$409,800$264 pricier homes ($42K more)
Sugar Grove, NC 28679 92%1,825$65,246$287,100$291 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Garden Valley, CA 95633 92%646$74,258$434,200$304 pricier homes ($67K more)
Vader, WA 98593 92%403$84,244$343,800$273 Very close on everything we compare
Moncure, NC 27559 91%1,977$74,490$385,000$233 older residents
Oregon House, CA 95962 91%628$77,903$376,800$254 smaller
Effingham, NH 03882 89%2,098$76,607$322,700$294 cheaper homes ($45K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Deary, ID 83823 89%97$78,345$409,300$225 pricier homes ($42K more) · older homes
Vernonia, OR 97064 89%422$67,317$383,600$298 larger
Entiat, WA 98822 89%275$86,103$383,600$340 Very close on everything we compare
Loon Lake, WA 99148 89%165$67,431$429,900$336 pricier homes ($63K more) · larger · older residents
Naples, ME 04055 88%2,109$78,188$340,100$334 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger · older residents
Springfield, WV 26763 88%1,858$68,384$261,500$186 cheaper homes ($106K less)
Hampshire, TN 38461 88%1,603$66,406$418,300$256 pricier homes ($51K more) · older residents · less walkable
Newborn, GA 30056 87%1,854$68,494$306,000$203 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Platteville, CO 80651 87%673$81,586$474,700$277 pricier homes ($107K more) · larger
Spirit Lake, ID 83869 87%130$67,099$466,000$368 pricier homes ($99K more) · larger
Toledo, WA 98591 87%396$78,952$471,100$324 pricier homes ($104K more) · larger
Wales, MA 01081 86%2,085$86,979$296,800$324 cheaper homes ($71K less)
East Waterboro, ME 04030 86%2,114$72,548$348,400$274 older homes
Smithfield, KY 40068 86%1,587$80,750$325,300$232 cheaper homes ($42K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Bates City, MO 64011 86%1,164$82,981$377,100$200 larger
Kingsville, MO 64061 86%1,174$85,987$283,000$229 cheaper homes ($84K less) · larger
Richards, TX 77873 86%1,505$80,938$285,000$198 cheaper homes ($82K less)
Mc Dade, TX 78650 86%1,475$85,170$300,300— cheaper homes ($67K less)

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.