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 Marion, MT 59925

Marion: median income $63,981, home value $437,800, $440/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Overgaard, AZ 85933 83%969$65,735$320,100$308 cheaper homes ($118K less) · larger
Deming, WA 98244 82%340$67,159$447,000$394 larger · older homes
Whitewater, CO 81527 81%705$76,815$425,600$328 older residents
Lakemont, GA 30552 80%1,848$66,316$354,700$390 cheaper homes ($83K less) · older residents · older homes
Jacksons Gap, AL 36861 80%1,829$65,577$273,500$414 cheaper homes ($164K less) · larger · older homes
Donnelly, ID 83615 80%244$74,732$731,800$594 pricier homes ($294K more)
Spirit Lake, ID 83869 80%98$67,099$466,000$368 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Mineral Bluff, GA 30559 79%1,803$57,389$332,400$286 cheaper homes ($105K less) · larger
Norwood, CO 81423 79%762$62,125$425,000$292 older homes
Oak Run, CA 96069 79%625$71,250$381,900$239 cheaper homes ($56K less) · older homes
Worley, ID 83876 78%110$60,729$536,700$411 pricier homes ($99K more) · older homes
Cathlamet, WA 98612 78%425$59,583$429,600$318 larger · older homes
Trout Lake, WA 98650 78%350$76,607$730,300$404 pricier homes ($293K more)
Elliottsburg, PA 17024 77%1,906$79,292$295,100$308 cheaper homes ($143K less) · older homes
Star Tannery, VA 22654 77%1,900$74,721$417,200$296 older residents · 6 min longer commute
Reva, VA 22735 77%1,935$67,536$345,200$264 cheaper homes ($93K less) · older homes
Lake Toxaway, NC 28747 77%1,853$66,000$294,600$368 cheaper homes ($143K less) · older homes
Effingham, NH 03882 76%2,097$76,607$322,700$294 cheaper homes ($115K less) · older homes
Warriors Mark, PA 16877 76%1,860$68,500$307,700— cheaper homes ($130K less) · older residents · older homes
Cordova, MD 21625 76%2,020$83,250$372,200$374 cheaper homes ($66K less) · younger residents · older homes
Worton, MD 21678 76%2,000$71,023$319,000$266 cheaper homes ($119K less) · older homes
Hampshire, TN 38461 76%1,641$66,406$418,300$256 7 min longer commute
Oldtown, ID 83822 76%103$56,490$443,800$321 larger · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Williams, AZ 86046 76%876$79,095$418,700$323 larger
Whitewater, CA 92282 76%979$68,750$299,600$282 cheaper homes ($138K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute

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.