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 Hot Springs, MT 59845

Hot Springs: median income $31,970, home value $191,100, $179/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Midway, AR 72651 87%1,369$30,000$211,600$141 Very close on everything we compare
Lynch Station, VA 24571 86%1,922$32,218$169,200$219 larger · more homeowners
Nucla, CO 81424 84%714$39,960$206,000— older residents
Shaw, MS 38773 81%1,572$30,661$110,400— cheaper homes ($81K less) · larger
Bulger, PA 15019 80%1,759$32,926$157,800$200 cheaper homes ($33K less) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Winona, MO 65588 80%1,391$44,500$155,900$158 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger
Marlinton, WV 24954 79%1,845$37,899$144,000$109 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger
Gainesville, MO 65655 79%1,363$37,337$176,000$145 larger · older residents
Arco, ID 83213 79%281$43,472$163,800$147 cheaper homes ($27K less) · younger residents
Yanceyville, NC 27379 77%1,950$38,472$169,900$191 larger · 8 min longer commute
Bayboro, NC 28515 77%2,119$31,715$157,700$106 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Van Lear, KY 41265 77%1,744$35,833$157,400$105 cheaper homes ($34K less) · more homeowners
Natural Bridge Station, VA 24579 76%1,896$45,944$165,600$120 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Rawlings, MD 21557 75%1,856$34,936$123,300$148 cheaper homes ($68K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Elk Park, NC 28622 75%1,840$44,028$169,900$199 larger · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Stantonville, TN 38379 75%1,595$41,136$170,800$250 Very close on everything we compare
Talihina, OK 74571 74%1,347$41,105$125,400$142 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger · younger residents
Buffalo Junction, VA 24529 73%1,976$27,243$175,700$245 11 min longer commute · newer homes
Horse Cave, KY 42749 73%1,623$45,500$142,200$152 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger
Deadwood, SD 57732 73%569$43,636$232,300$241 pricier homes ($41K more) · older residents
Oden, AR 71961 73%1,400$37,054$124,100$253 cheaper homes ($67K less) · newer homes
Antonito, CO 81120 73%848$47,546$188,200$182 6 min longer commute
Challis, ID 83226 73%215$36,458$358,700$146 pricier homes ($168K more) · larger · older residents
Cherryfield, ME 04622 72%2,213$43,854$165,900$251 cheaper homes ($25K less) · older residents · 8 min longer commute
Independence, VA 24348 72%1,858$44,829$155,500$173 cheaper homes ($36K 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.