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 Preston, ID 83263

Preston: median income $62,500, home value $379,600, $252/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Naches, WA 98937 91%555$77,143$369,300$244 smaller
Snow Hill, MD 21863 88%1,929$61,975$263,600$180 cheaper homes ($116K less) · smaller
Sturgis, SD 57785 88%455$63,897$296,100$221 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Grand Junction, CO 81503 88%278$75,053$352,100$274 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Powell, WY 82435 88%239$67,534$362,700$233 Very close on everything we compare
Manti, UT 84642 88%197$66,250$318,200$184 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller
Swanton, VT 05488 87%1,932$77,154$288,700$225 cheaper homes ($91K less) · older residents
Quarryville, PA 17566 87%1,855$78,108$306,200$233 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Alcoa, TN 37701 87%1,553$66,132$281,100$252 cheaper homes ($99K less)
Zillah, WA 98953 87%511$84,766$368,300$216 Very close on everything we compare
Nashville, TN 37218 86%1,395$61,919$349,900$261 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · more walkable
Yucca Valley, CA 92284 86%603$58,373$354,300$261 cheaper homes ($25K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Strasburg, VA 22657 85%1,761$63,975$304,900$218 cheaper homes ($75K less) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Gridley, CA 95948 85%550$60,294$354,100$245 cheaper homes ($26K less) · more renters
Orland, CA 95963 85%567$68,091$372,900$259 larger · more renters
Harrisburg, OR 97446 85%587$78,229$339,300$289 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller
Jonestown, PA 17038 84%1,826$75,417$252,600$193 cheaper homes ($127K less)
Canton, NC 28716 84%1,618$63,141$237,800$240 cheaper homes ($142K less) · larger · older residents
Edwardsburg, MI 49112 84%1,322$61,785$248,800$182 cheaper homes ($131K less)
Meeker, CO 81641 84%251$63,070$329,700$174 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller
Monticello, UT 84535 84%319$75,625$321,700$220 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller
Mount Pleasant, UT 84647 84%180$65,970$323,200$203 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller · younger residents
Fowler, CA 93625 84%563$72,500$392,700$253 more renters · newer homes
Kingsburg, CA 93631 84%564$79,228$396,800$276 larger · newer homes
Kenai, AK 99611 84%2,076$79,757$308,500$245 cheaper homes ($71K less) · larger · newer homes

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.