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 Plains, MT 59859

Plains: median income $64,846, home value $429,200, $278/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Moyie Springs, ID 83845 90%106$72,695$373,700$325 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller
Carson City, NV 89705 89%632$79,901$470,200$351 pricier homes ($41K more)
Walker, MN 56484 88%950$67,019$311,200$272 cheaper homes ($118K less) · 6 min longer commute
Grandy, NC 27939 87%2,126$62,463$306,100$247 cheaper homes ($123K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Port Saint Joe, FL 32456 87%1,989$64,681$378,500$285 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Minocqua, WI 54548 87%1,192$69,569$336,400$288 cheaper homes ($93K less)
Lakeside, AZ 85929 87%954$62,752$306,900$290 cheaper homes ($122K less) · larger
Clayton, GA 30525 86%1,837$65,150$274,200$258 cheaper homes ($155K less) · larger · younger residents
Llano, TX 78643 86%1,444$68,365$362,600$239 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger
Cathlamet, WA 98612 86%410$59,583$429,600$318 7 min longer commute · older homes
Chewelah, WA 99109 86%145$62,391$327,400$235 cheaper homes ($102K less) · older homes
Kettle Falls, WA 99141 86%167$58,302$320,700$201 cheaper homes ($109K less) · 5 min longer commute
Beaufort, NC 28516 85%2,150$66,057$315,400$270 cheaper homes ($114K less) · larger
Jefferson, NC 28640 85%1,863$53,155$282,900$264 cheaper homes ($146K less)
Penrose, NC 28766 85%1,856$57,708$307,000$252 cheaper homes ($122K less) · smaller
Johnson City, TX 78636 85%1,476$72,663$532,600$263 pricier homes ($103K more) · 6 min longer commute
Lake Havasu City, AZ 86404 85%893$72,910$461,600$319 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Paradise, CA 95969 85%630$69,067$455,500$287 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Gold Beach, OR 97444 85%582$64,920$402,700$296 cheaper homes ($27K less) · older homes
Gold Hill, OR 97525 85%531$72,025$450,200$246 7 min longer commute · older homes
Otis Orchards, WA 99027 85%105$74,718$444,500$228 older homes
Aitkin, MN 56431 84%1,001$67,828$295,400$213 cheaper homes ($134K less) · larger
Renfrew, PA 16053 83%1,775$76,054$297,500$218 cheaper homes ($132K less)
Cape Charles, VA 23310 83%2,082$62,500$377,300$318 cheaper homes ($52K less) · more renters · older homes
Salmon, ID 83467 82%167$53,917$316,700$265 cheaper homes ($113K 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.