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 Whitefish, MT 59937

Whitefish: median income $75,428, home value $698,200, $567/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Salida, CO 81201 94%800$80,248$674,000$428 smaller
McCall, ID 83638 88%256$75,217$730,400$484 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
Blowing Rock, NC 28605 85%1,853$76,477$552,400$507 cheaper homes ($146K less) · smaller
Durango, CO 81301 84%835$83,943$695,800$506 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Sandpoint, ID 83864 83%100$70,496$516,500$381 cheaper homes ($182K less)
Friday Harbor, WA 98250 83%400$88,556$801,200$492 pricier homes ($103K more) · smaller · older residents
Buena Vista, CO 81211 82%777$88,083$677,400$409 smaller
Hailey, ID 83333 82%337$99,704$744,200$566 pricier homes ($46K more) · more walkable
Sedona, AZ 86336 82%948$68,435$774,800$468 pricier homes ($77K more) · older residents
Anacortes, WA 98221 81%379$96,528$713,100$419 larger · 6 min longer commute
Key Largo, FL 33037 79%2,439$86,533$683,000$582 older residents · 8 min longer commute
Estes Park, CO 80517 79%705$95,404$701,700$415 smaller · older residents
Moab, UT 84532 79%721$68,444$549,400$392 cheaper homes ($149K less) · younger residents
Bellingham, WA 98229 79%369$90,945$633,500$390 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger · younger residents
Bar Harbor, ME 04609 78%2,181$77,180$538,400$376 cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller
Stowe, VT 05672 78%1,977$93,618$647,800$433 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 78%2,128$86,193$437,500$368 cheaper homes ($261K less)
Traverse City, MI 49684 78%1,378$80,788$420,200$332 cheaper homes ($278K less)
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 78%854$84,270$486,000$342 cheaper homes ($212K less)
Ivins, UT 84738 77%776$77,993$592,900$344 cheaper homes ($105K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
White Salmon, WA 98672 77%382$97,622$669,200$415 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814 76%123$74,782$589,600$419 cheaper homes ($109K less) · larger · more renters
Eastsound, WA 98245 76%392$95,811$772,600$590 pricier homes ($74K more) · smaller · older residents
Ojai, CA 93023 75%997$80,927$911,400$774 pricier homes ($213K more) · 5 min longer commute · older homes
Hood River, OR 97031 75%387$91,858$691,200$409 younger residents · 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.