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 Thermopolis, WY 82443

Thermopolis: median income $62,767, home value $230,000, $141/sq ft, 14-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Redwood Falls, MN 56283 95%659$66,352$176,800$118 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Palmyra, MO 63461 95%909$69,707$212,000$124 Very close on everything we compare
Canadian, TX 79014 95%689$62,273$204,300$153 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Wray, CO 80758 95%400$58,929$234,000$181 Very close on everything we compare
Malta, MT 59538 94%318$57,097$191,800— cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller
Algona, IA 50511 93%711$66,642$180,800$117 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger
Holdrege, NE 68949 93%516$63,273$197,200$114 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Alturas, CA 96101 93%638$61,680$211,200$156 Very close on everything we compare
Carroll, IA 51401 92%693$70,702$195,700$141 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger
Luverne, MN 56156 92%607$71,066$232,300$133 Very close on everything we compare
Madison, SD 57042 92%561$71,868$228,200$155 larger
Cavalier, ND 58220 92%615$61,199$183,200$125 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller
Okanogan, WA 98840 92%623$57,342$261,600$145 pricier homes ($32K more)
Dover Foxcroft, ME 04426 91%1,915$63,491$164,800$162 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Spencer, IA 51301 91%665$63,402$188,300$122 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
Manchester, IA 52057 91%857$69,635$184,300$142 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Flandreau, SD 57028 91%585$72,798$193,800$122 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Miles City, MT 59301 91%220$71,332$217,900— larger
Choteau, MT 59422 91%335$67,500$256,500$184 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Shelby, MT 59474 91%366$57,846$233,100$120 Very close on everything we compare
Eastland, TX 76448 91%941$57,122$183,000$124 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Center, CO 81125 91%434$56,250$148,700$137 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Archbold, OH 43502 90%1,229$74,925$203,300$177 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger
Covington, IN 47932 90%1,105$59,811$182,400$134 cheaper homes ($48K less) · 6 min longer commute
Sheldon, IA 51201 90%630$68,799$197,800$118 cheaper homes ($32K less)

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.