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 Polson, MT 59860

Polson: median income $62,047, home value $441,500, $309/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sandpoint, ID 83864 93%119$70,496$516,500$381 pricier homes ($75K more) · larger
Fredericksburg, TX 78624 91%1,450$75,237$463,300$284 larger
Port Angeles, WA 98363 91%454$64,869$385,100$331 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Brevard, NC 28712 89%1,823$63,045$414,300$299 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger · older residents
Montrose, CO 81401 89%711$71,286$374,300$280 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger
Bonners Ferry, ID 83805 89%124$70,083$418,900$292 younger residents
Buffalo, WY 82834 88%424$63,395$328,700$222 cheaper homes ($113K less) · smaller
Morehead City, NC 28557 87%2,113$68,528$362,800$249 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Waynesville, NC 28785 87%1,799$61,769$310,300$252 cheaper homes ($131K less)
Boyne City, MI 49712 87%1,389$74,033$294,800$318 cheaper homes ($147K less)
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 87%858$70,037$314,700$217 cheaper homes ($127K less) · larger
Dolores, CO 81323 87%762$75,393$392,000$291 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Cody, WY 82414 87%326$77,958$435,300$252 5 min shorter commute
Powell, WY 82435 87%327$67,534$362,700$233 cheaper homes ($79K less) · younger residents
Clayton, GA 30525 86%1,807$65,150$274,200$258 cheaper homes ($167K less) · smaller
Llano, TX 78643 86%1,432$68,365$362,600$239 cheaper homes ($79K less) · smaller · older residents
Aurora, OR 97002 86%446$70,137$530,100$339 pricier homes ($89K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Beaufort, NC 28516 85%2,118$66,057$315,400$270 cheaper homes ($126K less) · older residents
Swannanoa, NC 28778 85%1,821$73,408$303,300$256 cheaper homes ($138K less) · younger residents
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 85%1,287$70,212$297,300$257 cheaper homes ($144K less) · older residents
Hayward, WI 54843 85%1,084$60,619$243,400$261 cheaper homes ($198K less)
Taos, NM 87571 85%894$57,575$458,900$359 older residents
Oakhurst, CA 93644 85%767$81,196$396,300$250 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
Colville, WA 99114 85%182$62,711$301,600$225 cheaper homes ($140K less)
Homer, AK 99603 85%1,696$78,767$373,500$310 cheaper homes ($68K less) · younger residents

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.