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 Kooskia, ID 83539

Kooskia: median income $57,885, home value $347,500, $260/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Shell Knob, MO 65747 93%1,324$55,060$289,900$250 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger
Holcombe, WI 54745 89%1,194$67,891$255,200$252 cheaper homes ($92K less)
Valley, WA 99181 89%164$63,661$267,600$218 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Mcgregor, MN 55760 88%1,076$59,474$274,600$276 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Whitehall, MT 59759 88%184$60,571$353,900$335 Very close on everything we compare
Lakeside, OR 97449 88%439$66,000$316,700$272 cheaper homes ($31K less) · more walkable
Gravois Mills, MO 65037 87%1,296$66,360$284,100$256 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger
Cathlamet, WA 98612 87%355$59,583$429,600$318 pricier homes ($82K more) · younger residents
Raphine, VA 24472 86%1,948$51,429$251,000$268 cheaper homes ($97K less)
Bigfork, MN 56628 86%1,053$61,250$244,700$189 cheaper homes ($103K less)
Austin, CO 81410 86%648$67,826$366,700$213 smaller
Backus, MN 56435 85%1,023$62,381$256,800$273 cheaper homes ($91K less) · younger residents
Roach, MO 65787 85%1,298$62,917$314,500$254 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller
Hotchkiss, CO 81419 85%654$59,735$364,200$324 larger · 7 min longer commute
Pittsburg, NH 03592 84%2,128$61,094$279,500$293 cheaper homes ($68K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Penrose, NC 28766 84%1,883$57,708$307,000$252 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller · younger residents
Ridgeway, SC 29130 84%1,999$63,963$265,500$273 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger
Hilbert, WI 54129 84%1,352$67,381$279,700$208 cheaper homes ($68K less) · younger residents
Trego, WI 54888 84%1,151$63,971$240,500$249 cheaper homes ($107K less) · smaller
Arapahoe, NC 28510 83%2,167$58,839$264,100$240 cheaper homes ($83K less)
Siren, WI 54872 83%1,128$60,787$233,200$258 cheaper homes ($114K less) · more walkable
Shingletown, CA 96088 83%489$65,958$292,000$202 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Chiloquin, OR 97624 83%378$48,628$233,000$248 cheaper homes ($115K less) · larger
Finlayson, MN 55735 82%1,097$63,827$271,200$284 cheaper homes ($76K less) · 7 min longer commute
Darby, MT 59829 82%84$63,650$437,900$315 pricier homes ($90K more) · younger residents · more renters

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.