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 Hamilton, MT 59840

Hamilton: median income $61,752, home value $428,100, $343/sq ft, 15-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Port Angeles, WA 98363 91%475$64,869$385,100$331 cheaper homes ($43K less) · 5 min longer commute
Sandpoint, ID 83864 90%181$70,496$516,500$381 pricier homes ($88K more)
Port Angeles, WA 98362 89%454$70,123$403,300$298 larger
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 88%1,294$70,212$297,300$257 cheaper homes ($131K less)
Cody, WY 82414 88%274$77,958$435,300$252 Very close on everything we compare
Sheridan, WY 82801 88%363$73,213$386,500$274 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger · younger residents
Brevard, NC 28712 87%1,798$63,045$414,300$299 older residents · 5 min longer commute
Bishop, CA 93514 87%642$81,278$422,600$349 Very close on everything we compare
Tillamook, OR 97141 87%467$69,831$398,100$335 cheaper homes ($30K less) · younger residents
Roseburg, OR 97471 87%503$71,670$359,200$259 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 86%870$70,037$314,700$217 cheaper homes ($113K less)
Montrose, CO 81401 86%625$71,286$374,300$280 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Fredericksburg, TX 78624 85%1,375$75,237$463,300$284 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Buffalo, WY 82834 85%385$63,395$328,700$222 cheaper homes ($99K less) · smaller
Clarkston, WA 99403 85%139$71,482$325,300$216 cheaper homes ($103K less)
Mount Shasta, CA 96067 84%530$65,000$415,400$247 smaller · older residents · more walkable
Cape Charles, VA 23310 83%2,041$62,500$377,300$318 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller · older residents
Boyne City, MI 49712 83%1,400$74,033$294,800$318 cheaper homes ($133K less) · smaller
Spirit Lake, IA 51360 83%951$75,882$271,700$253 cheaper homes ($156K less) · smaller
Hayward, WI 54843 83%1,093$60,619$243,400$261 cheaper homes ($185K less)
Salmon, ID 83467 83%76$53,917$316,700$265 cheaper homes ($111K less) · smaller
Bonners Ferry, ID 83805 83%200$70,083$418,900$292 smaller · younger residents · newer homes
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814 83%159$74,782$589,600$419 pricier homes ($162K more) · larger
Moab, UT 84532 83%580$68,444$549,400$392 pricier homes ($121K more) · younger residents
Fort Bragg, CA 95437 83%675$57,759$554,200$396 pricier homes ($126K more) · more walkable

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.