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 Frenchtown, MT 59834

Frenchtown: median income $94,406, home value $449,500, $307/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Custer, WA 98240 88%408$110,116$619,700$340 pricier homes ($170K more)
Malaga, WA 98828 88%280$70,197$437,600$294 Very close on everything we compare
Audubon, MN 56511 86%860$89,875$401,900$261 cheaper homes ($48K less) · older residents
Pinedale, WY 82941 86%361$91,429$345,700$265 cheaper homes ($104K less) · larger
Kimberly, ID 83341 86%312$99,100$411,400$259 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger
Jefferson, OR 97352 86%449$107,000$441,700$313 larger
Rindge, NH 03461 85%2,063$102,679$415,400$281 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Clear Brook, VA 22624 85%1,882$104,375$438,200$229 Very close on everything we compare
West Olive, MI 49460 85%1,397$101,966$367,700$251 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger · older residents
Toquerville, UT 84774 85%679$97,813$563,200$277 pricier homes ($114K more) · more single-family homes
Fairfield, VT 05455 84%1,966$110,147$335,800$209 cheaper homes ($114K less) · smaller
Smartsville, CA 95977 84%647$104,545$441,700$312 older residents
Atglen, PA 19310 83%1,960$82,371$315,700$231 cheaper homes ($134K less) · older homes
Fort Loramie, OH 45845 83%1,553$95,078$306,300— cheaper homes ($143K less) · older homes
Richmond, UT 84333 83%374$108,750$398,900$188 cheaper homes ($51K less) · older homes
Nooksack, WA 98276 83%394$97,159$524,300$291 pricier homes ($75K more) · 7 min longer commute
Center Tuftonboro, NH 03816 82%2,074$88,971$426,700$300 smaller · 7 min longer commute
Watertown, MN 55388 82%988$99,375$356,900$191 cheaper homes ($93K less) · larger
Piedmont, SD 57769 82%561$94,375$367,400$243 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger · older residents
Mesa, CO 81643 82%627$106,813$605,300$287 pricier homes ($156K more) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Gervais, OR 97026 82%434$90,461$395,400$274 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Pateros, WA 98846 82%275$84,464$338,200$276 cheaper homes ($111K less) · smaller · older residents
Weyers Cave, VA 24486 81%1,876$80,990$284,000$232 cheaper homes ($166K less) · larger · more renters
Fort Pierce, FL 34945 81%2,273$87,568$345,700$198 cheaper homes ($104K less) · larger · older residents
Deerfield, WI 53531 81%1,254$105,000$353,300$219 cheaper homes ($96K less) · larger · older homes

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.