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 Garden Valley, ID 83622

Garden Valley: median income $65,625, home value $576,800, $332/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Crosslake, MN 56442 91%1,065$79,896$479,800$349 cheaper homes ($97K less)
Saluda, NC 28773 90%1,868$70,703$413,700$319 cheaper homes ($163K less) · larger
Freedom, NH 03836 89%2,198$66,136$389,000$344 cheaper homes ($188K less)
Dauphin Island, AL 36528 89%1,787$67,206$432,200$312 cheaper homes ($145K less)
Hackensack, MN 56452 89%1,048$62,941$352,700$300 cheaper homes ($224K less)
Williams, OR 97544 89%397$55,583$563,700$298 Very close on everything we compare
Lakemont, GA 30552 87%1,832$66,316$354,700$390 cheaper homes ($222K less)
Warwick, MD 21912 86%2,067$69,868$391,700$259 cheaper homes ($185K less)
Merrifield, MN 56465 86%1,064$74,400$372,100$337 cheaper homes ($205K less) · younger residents
Trout Creek, MT 59874 86%257$64,319$540,100$428 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Mancos, CO 81328 86%610$72,522$412,700$293 cheaper homes ($164K less) · larger
Sheridan, MT 59749 85%201$80,238$382,400$332 cheaper homes ($194K less)
Huson, MT 59846 85%216$70,851$461,200$472 cheaper homes ($116K less) · smaller · younger residents
Victor, MT 59875 85%179$63,036$525,500$297 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger · younger residents
Whitewater, CO 81527 85%522$76,815$425,600$328 cheaper homes ($151K less) · younger residents
Pinetop, AZ 85935 85%758$73,333$437,200$326 cheaper homes ($140K less) · larger
Oriental, NC 28571 84%2,153$63,393$372,500$257 cheaper homes ($204K less) · older residents
Good Hope, GA 30641 84%1,859$70,491$409,400$220 cheaper homes ($167K less)
Townsend, TN 37882 84%1,783$69,012$344,500$315 cheaper homes ($232K less)
Deming, WA 98244 84%441$67,159$447,000$394 cheaper homes ($130K less) · younger residents
Swanton, MD 21561 83%1,896$73,858$328,700$295 cheaper homes ($248K less)
Lyle, WA 98635 83%289$61,448$491,900$270 cheaper homes ($85K less) · younger residents · more renters
Casco, ME 04015 82%2,221$69,313$355,500$316 cheaper homes ($221K less) · larger · younger residents
Deltaville, VA 23043 82%2,092$70,625$420,600$315 cheaper homes ($156K less) · older homes
Lake Lure, NC 28746 82%1,869$70,469$470,700$313 cheaper homes ($106K less) · 8 min longer commute

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.