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 Darby, MT 59829

Darby: median income $63,650, home value $437,900, $315/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cathlamet, WA 98612 96%439$59,583$429,600$318 larger
Westwood, CA 96137 91%524$65,896$414,900$322 Very close on everything we compare
Cascade Locks, OR 97014 90%370$75,000$387,700$246 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Grandy, NC 27939 89%2,083$62,463$306,100$247 cheaper homes ($132K less) · newer homes
Tuolumne, CA 95379 88%637$74,230$416,000$266 larger
Gold Hill, OR 97525 88%505$72,025$450,200$246 larger
Chewelah, WA 99109 88%229$62,391$327,400$235 cheaper homes ($111K less) · larger
Rockaway Beach, OR 97136 87%470$66,106$375,000$372 cheaper homes ($63K less) · 5 min shorter commute · more walkable
Penrose, NC 28766 86%1,800$57,708$307,000$252 cheaper homes ($131K less) · smaller
Minocqua, WI 54548 86%1,169$69,569$336,400$288 cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger
Walker, MN 56484 86%932$67,019$311,200$272 cheaper homes ($127K less) · larger
Rocky Mount, MO 65072 86%1,218$78,750$335,700$286 cheaper homes ($102K less)
Moyie Springs, ID 83845 86%210$72,695$373,700$325 cheaper homes ($64K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Naples, ID 83847 86%204$48,859$545,000$358 pricier homes ($107K more)
Worley, ID 83876 86%161$60,729$536,700$411 pricier homes ($99K more)
Carson, WA 98610 86%368$72,773$501,600$385 pricier homes ($64K more) · 6 min longer commute
Penobscot, ME 04476 85%2,185$63,194$296,400$280 cheaper homes ($142K less) · smaller
Lakemont, GA 30552 85%1,783$66,316$354,700$390 cheaper homes ($83K less)
Stone Lake, WI 54876 85%1,087$72,794$282,100$340 cheaper homes ($156K less)
Johnson City, TX 78636 85%1,380$72,663$532,600$263 pricier homes ($95K more) · larger
Crawford, CO 81415 85%607$59,141$330,900$333 cheaper homes ($107K less)
Dubois, WY 82513 85%281$66,332$382,600$330 cheaper homes ($55K less) · older residents
Oldtown, ID 83822 85%197$56,490$443,800$321 more apartments and townhomes
Carson City, NV 89705 85%560$79,901$470,200$351 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Lower Lake, CA 95457 85%652$63,594$488,800$241 pricier homes ($51K more) · 8 min longer 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.