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 Oldtown, ID 83822

Oldtown: median income $56,490, home value $443,800, $321/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Superior, MT 59872 90%119$55,926$396,600$387 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Cathlamet, WA 98612 88%329$59,583$429,600$318 Very close on everything we compare
West Wareham, MA 02576 87%2,266$63,021$387,200$345 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger
Whitehall, MT 59759 85%277$60,571$353,900$335 cheaper homes ($90K less) · older residents
Darby, MT 59829 85%197$63,650$437,900$315 more single-family homes
Oak Hill, FL 32759 83%2,331$61,671$289,300$229 cheaper homes ($155K less)
Penrose, NC 28766 82%1,962$57,708$307,000$252 cheaper homes ($137K less) · smaller
Ignacio, CO 81137 82%896$63,860$335,300$372 cheaper homes ($109K less) · larger · younger residents
Cloverdale, OR 97112 81%380$61,061$411,500$415 cheaper homes ($32K less) · younger residents · more renters
Otis, OR 97368 81%395$61,821$325,700$294 cheaper homes ($118K less)
Belmont, NH 03220 80%2,182$68,242$316,200$280 cheaper homes ($128K less) · larger
Noxon, MT 59853 80%52$60,417$293,300$309 cheaper homes ($151K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Gold Hill, OR 97525 80%495$72,025$450,200$246 larger
Randle, WA 98377 80%254$56,167$424,300$397 8 min longer commute · older homes
Plains, MT 59859 79%108$64,846$429,200$278 larger · 6 min shorter commute
Mossyrock, WA 98564 79%281$60,147$323,500$284 cheaper homes ($120K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Carson, WA 98610 79%283$72,773$501,600$385 pricier homes ($58K more) · 5 min longer commute
Chewelah, WA 99109 79%38$62,391$327,400$235 cheaper homes ($116K less) · larger
Kettle Falls, WA 99141 79%60$58,302$320,700$201 cheaper homes ($123K less) · larger
Cedar Bluff, AL 35959 78%1,874$52,356$234,500$246 cheaper homes ($209K less) · larger
Janesville, CA 96114 78%570$79,688$338,600$221 cheaper homes ($105K less)
Farmington, NH 03835 77%2,204$66,982$289,800$242 cheaper homes ($154K less) · larger
Elizaville, NY 12523 77%2,118$54,235$343,400$322 cheaper homes ($100K less) · older homes
Grandy, NC 27939 77%2,228$62,463$306,100$247 cheaper homes ($138K less) · more single-family homes
Crumpler, NC 28617 77%1,967$62,204$244,600$271 cheaper homes ($199K less) · 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.