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 Cortez, CO 81321

Cortez: median income $59,506, home value $289,000, $217/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sturgis, SD 57785 94%556$63,897$296,100$221 Very close on everything we compare
Ronan, MT 59864 92%758$61,978$297,700$274 smaller
Colville, WA 99114 92%905$62,711$301,600$225 Very close on everything we compare
Rice Lake, WI 54868 91%1,035$64,318$227,800$158 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 91%922$70,037$314,700$217 pricier homes ($26K more)
Tonasket, WA 98855 91%954$60,179$257,800$209 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Clarkston, WA 99403 91%761$71,482$325,300$216 pricier homes ($36K more)
Selinsgrove, PA 17870 90%1,708$70,339$236,800$172 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Sylva, NC 28779 90%1,415$57,727$243,700$232 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Ludington, MI 49431 90%1,243$66,336$237,700$203 cheaper homes ($51K less) · older residents
Sheboygan Falls, WI 53085 90%1,172$73,703$241,900$193 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Cloquet, MN 55720 90%1,045$64,167$223,200$204 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Riverton, WY 82501 90%393$60,449$237,800$164 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Buffalo, WY 82834 90%493$63,395$328,700$222 pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller
Weiser, ID 83672 90%647$51,045$272,800$225 smaller
Coos Bay, OR 97420 90%915$61,574$311,500$224 larger
Omak, WA 98841 90%942$71,809$274,000$163 Very close on everything we compare
Honesdale, PA 18431 89%1,790$56,779$230,200$207 cheaper homes ($59K less) · 6 min longer commute
Waynesboro, VA 22980 89%1,616$63,943$268,100$198 larger · 5 min longer commute
Conover, NC 28613 89%1,518$58,707$230,100$194 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger
Greeneville, TN 37745 89%1,423$57,159$214,300$180 cheaper homes ($75K less) · 6 min longer commute
Plymouth, WI 53073 89%1,165$76,442$258,900$194 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Saint Peter, MN 56082 89%901$71,456$275,200$169 Very close on everything we compare
Fergus Falls, MN 56537 89%889$65,473$246,500$137 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Dillon, MT 59725 89%584$61,335$311,400$201 smaller

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.