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 Charlo, MT 59824

Charlo: median income $53,382, home value $317,800, $247/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Drain, OR 97435 95%511$52,067$315,100$270 larger
Tuckasegee, NC 28783 93%1,802$51,350$290,900$271 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Newfoundland, PA 18445 92%1,943$53,429$247,700$209 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger
Askov, MN 55704 91%1,013$62,500$234,300$208 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Parowan, UT 84761 91%666$51,538$355,000$208 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger
Bunn, NC 27508 90%1,994$50,368$258,600— cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger
Glendale, OR 97442 90%554$46,979$273,500$195 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Equinunk, PA 18417 88%1,935$63,333$257,700$179 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Honey Grove, TX 75446 88%1,348$52,460$238,800$240 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger
Willamina, OR 97396 88%474$57,614$351,000$245 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger
Yoncalla, OR 97499 88%514$58,958$325,700$205 Very close on everything we compare
West Paris, ME 04289 87%2,080$56,324$193,000$189 cheaper homes ($125K less)
Prattsville, NY 12468 87%1,958$51,875$241,100$278 cheaper homes ($77K less) · older residents
Lake Waccamaw, NC 28450 87%2,047$69,554$264,200$213 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger
Melbourne, KY 41059 87%1,598$58,553$217,400$209 cheaper homes ($100K less) · larger
Norwood, CO 81423 87%710$62,125$425,000$292 pricier homes ($107K more)
Dexter, OR 97431 87%484$60,714$354,800$342 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger
Hiram, ME 04041 86%2,079$62,813$256,600$325 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Elizaville, NY 12523 86%1,992$54,235$343,400$322 pricier homes ($26K more) · older residents
Toms Brook, VA 22660 86%1,874$67,917$268,600$261 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Tyner, NC 27980 86%2,056$66,111$259,300$202 cheaper homes ($59K less) · older residents
Moravian Falls, NC 28654 86%1,855$57,438$228,700$182 cheaper homes ($89K less) · larger
De Leon Springs, FL 32130 86%2,159$60,563$290,400$243 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger
Norwood Young America, MN 55368 86%984$71,250$309,800$189 Very close on everything we compare
Onamia, MN 56359 86%971$59,457$232,200$223 cheaper homes ($86K 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.