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 Ranchester, WY 82839

Ranchester: median income $57,708, home value $385,900, $324/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Deep Gap, NC 28618 94%1,467$59,653$338,400$281 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Monteagle, TN 37356 89%1,306$59,026$298,300$264 cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger
Accident, MD 21520 88%1,463$59,852$298,600$236 cheaper homes ($87K less) · older homes
Gatlinburg, TN 37738 87%1,393$57,330$334,100$361 cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger
Firestone, CO 80520 87%351$63,529$449,400— pricier homes ($64K more) · more homeowners
Seal Rock, OR 97376 86%823$70,446$428,000$368 pricier homes ($42K more) · older homes
Arlee, MT 59821 85%366$66,458$375,200$312 larger · 7 min longer commute
Marsing, ID 83639 85%487$64,042$461,900$289 pricier homes ($76K more) · larger
Parowan, UT 84761 84%570$51,538$355,000$208 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Ranchos De Taos, NM 87557 84%599$49,337$356,400$350 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · older homes
Cloverdale, OR 97112 84%812$61,061$411,500$415 pricier homes ($26K more) · older homes
Lac Du Flambeau, WI 54538 83%839$51,429$320,300$398 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Malaga, WA 98828 83%646$70,197$437,600$294 pricier homes ($52K more) · younger residents · more homeowners
Rexford, MT 59930 82%469$61,923$287,400$301 cheaper homes ($99K less) · older residents
Wilder, ID 83676 82%489$67,176$362,100$280 larger
Big Pine, CA 93513 82%788$67,292$330,300$265 cheaper homes ($56K less) · older homes
Grandy, NC 27939 81%1,736$62,463$306,100$247 cheaper homes ($80K less) · older residents
Tuckasegee, NC 28783 81%1,430$51,350$290,900$271 cheaper homes ($95K less) · 8 min longer commute
Bay City, OR 97107 81%812$70,417$407,400$306 older homes
Saint Ignatius, MT 59865 80%370$56,473$345,300$394 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Bonners Ferry, ID 83805 80%506$70,083$418,900$292 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger
Trappe, MD 21673 79%1,649$68,194$363,100$205 larger · 5 min longer commute
Epworth, GA 30541 79%1,378$66,579$214,400$343 cheaper homes ($172K less)
Honey Grove, TX 75446 79%985$52,460$238,800$240 cheaper homes ($147K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Dolores, CO 81323 79%519$75,393$392,000$291 larger · older residents

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.