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 Shelley, ID 83274

Shelley: median income $92,669, home value $379,300, $185/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Coopersville, MI 49404 95%1,312$86,096$295,100$195 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Zillah, WA 98953 95%451$84,766$368,300$216 smaller
Denver, PA 17517 94%1,852$99,202$296,700$204 cheaper homes ($83K less)
Stevens, PA 17578 94%1,850$81,990$314,900$196 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller
Middlebury, IN 46540 94%1,344$96,615$313,700$159 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Watertown, MN 55388 93%910$99,375$356,900$191 smaller
Moxee, WA 98936 93%459$99,280$364,700$205 Very close on everything we compare
Strasburg, PA 17579 92%1,854$91,621$349,400$240 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
Troutman, NC 28166 92%1,735$93,511$348,600$191 cheaper homes ($31K less) · newer homes
Gap, PA 17527 91%1,863$94,788$324,900$175 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
Fort Pierce, FL 34945 91%2,077$87,568$345,700$198 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller
Wayland, MI 49348 91%1,333$82,512$275,400$206 cheaper homes ($104K less)
Saint Joseph, MN 56374 91%887$80,156$292,000$174 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Tremonton, UT 84337 91%116$81,683$392,700$199 Very close on everything we compare
Thatcher, AZ 85552 91%738$88,454$290,900$194 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller
Selah, WA 98942 91%470$84,646$382,300$239 larger
Kenai, AK 99611 91%2,000$79,757$308,500$245 cheaper homes ($71K less)
North Pole, AK 99705 91%2,007$96,964$309,500$235 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger
Greencastle, PA 17225 90%1,780$88,457$304,100$171 cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger · older residents
Bristol, IN 46507 90%1,337$82,683$245,400$162 cheaper homes ($134K less)
Marshall, WI 53559 90%1,155$93,571$315,300$211 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller
Baldwin, WI 54002 90%982$88,275$309,200$200 cheaper homes ($70K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Laurel, MT 59044 90%229$87,648$346,500$231 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Rogersville, MO 65742 90%1,088$83,795$317,100$178 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Bonner Springs, KS 66012 90%939$97,873$276,500$191 cheaper homes ($103K 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.