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 Monte Vista, CO 81144

Monte Vista: median income $64,662, home value $234,200, $191/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Delhi, NY 13753 93%1,676$70,000$216,200$160 Very close on everything we compare
Grinnell, IA 50112 93%768$67,078$214,900$136 larger
Gering, NE 69341 93%322$73,638$185,700$194 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger
Mansfield, PA 16933 92%1,565$65,096$210,300$146 Very close on everything we compare
Viroqua, WI 54665 92%899$72,093$228,200$193 Very close on everything we compare
Cloquet, MN 55720 92%940$64,167$223,200$204 larger
Old Town, ME 04468 91%1,992$56,358$203,700$192 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Archbold, OH 43502 91%1,192$74,925$203,300$177 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Decorah, IA 52101 91%851$73,484$273,200$172 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger · older residents
Williamsburg, IA 52361 91%801$60,992$211,200$145 Very close on everything we compare
Luverne, MN 56156 91%668$71,066$232,300$133 Very close on everything we compare
Dover Foxcroft, ME 04426 90%1,967$63,491$164,800$162 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Birmingham, AL 35210 90%1,127$73,061$255,800$191 larger
Bluffton, OH 45817 90%1,209$76,848$210,100$173 Very close on everything we compare
Fort Branch, IN 47648 90%1,012$65,000$213,000$168 smaller · younger residents
Rice Lake, WI 54868 90%922$64,318$227,800$158 larger
Saint Peter, MN 56082 90%787$71,456$275,200$169 pricier homes ($41K more) · larger
Perham, MN 56573 90%825$68,770$286,500$183 pricier homes ($52K more) · newer homes
Madison, SD 57042 90%648$71,868$228,200$155 Very close on everything we compare
Choteau, MT 59422 90%773$67,500$256,500$184 smaller · older residents
Dillon, MT 59725 90%627$61,335$311,400$201 pricier homes ($77K more)
David City, NE 68632 90%544$70,242$176,400$143 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller
Mifflinburg, PA 17844 89%1,566$68,314$235,000$149 larger
Snow Hill, MD 21863 89%1,669$61,975$263,600$180 pricier homes ($29K more) · 6 min longer commute
Chattanooga, TN 37416 89%1,177$70,705$253,100$193 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.