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.

Reset

Towns most like Pinehurst, ID 83850

Pinehurst: median income $67,574, home value $297,800, $253/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mechanic Falls, ME 04256 93%2,189$69,914$270,900$213 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Mount Pleasant Mills, PA 17853 93%1,980$63,787$225,900$279 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Weyauwega, WI 54983 92%1,325$71,094$229,700$251 cheaper homes ($68K less) · larger
Timberville, VA 22853 91%1,967$67,083$245,800$248 cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger
Moose Lake, MN 55767 91%1,107$78,988$247,300$198 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Toms Brook, VA 22660 90%1,972$67,917$268,600$261 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Rush City, MN 55069 90%1,109$75,179$281,700$240 larger
Montague, CA 96064 90%502$61,157$262,400$186 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger
Mount Jackson, VA 22842 89%1,966$60,134$222,500$247 cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger
South Rockwood, MI 48179 89%1,648$77,095$232,800$226 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Westfield, WI 53964 89%1,308$69,306$217,600$196 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Lena, WI 54139 89%1,351$78,013$209,800$265 cheaper homes ($88K less)
Motley, MN 56466 89%1,025$61,910$237,100$252 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Vaughn, MT 59487 89%219$56,359$229,300$232 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller
Eckert, CO 81418 89%729$54,417$266,000$203 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Glenrock, WY 82637 89%602$80,038$278,800$193 larger
Huntington, UT 84528 89%624$71,053$206,100— cheaper homes ($92K less)
Port Royal, PA 17082 88%1,967$75,000$214,400$196 cheaper homes ($83K less)
Orrstown, PA 17244 88%1,972$70,729$207,500$172 cheaper homes ($90K less)
Gardners, PA 17324 88%1,994$77,824$254,100$200 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Friendsville, PA 18818 88%1,990$62,917$240,400$212 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller
Mechanicsburg, OH 43044 88%1,695$76,397$235,400$220 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger
Lodi, OH 44254 88%1,737$65,865$197,100$190 cheaper homes ($101K less) · larger
Shelbyville, MI 49344 88%1,523$84,661$313,400$307 Very close on everything we compare
Stuart, IA 50250 88%1,153$71,083$210,400$203 cheaper homes ($87K 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.