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 Ponderay, ID 83852

Ponderay: median income $50,385, home value $420,000, $334/sq ft, 10-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Kaiser, MO 65047 63%1,386$53,750$264,600$220 cheaper homes ($155K less) · 9 min longer commute · more homeowners
Grand Ronde, OR 97347 61%404$52,500$313,800— cheaper homes ($106K less) · 14 min longer commute · more homeowners
South Fallsburg, NY 12779 56%2,069$47,688$287,200$216 cheaper homes ($133K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863 54%1,880$53,191$284,100$340 cheaper homes ($136K less) · larger · younger residents
Thackerville, OK 73459 52%1,416$68,500$222,600$215 cheaper homes ($197K less) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Port Royal, SC 29935 48%2,157$76,544$263,700$351 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($156K less) · larger
Kansas City, MO 64136 48%1,272$51,867$190,200$157 cheaper homes ($230K less) · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Lone Pine, CA 93545 48%814$43,529$217,100$220 cheaper homes ($203K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Seeley, CA 92273 46%1,073$62,051$205,600— cheaper homes ($214K less) · younger residents · 11 min longer commute
Clallam Bay, WA 98326 46%353$46,500$266,100— cheaper homes ($154K less) · 10 min longer commute · more homeowners
Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 45%1,842$49,323$194,000$163 cheaper homes ($226K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Brewster, WA 98812 45%150$59,297$354,500$273 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger · younger residents
Royal City, WA 99357 45%171$57,034$326,700$252 cheaper homes ($93K less) · larger · younger residents
Littleton, NH 03561 44%2,123$56,746$282,900$213 cheaper homes ($137K less) · larger · more homeowners
Parker, AZ 85344 44%985$54,583$216,400$295 cheaper homes ($204K less) · larger · more homeowners
Calcium, NY 13616 43%1,946$45,962$144,400$182 cheaper homes ($276K less) · younger residents · older homes
Waite Park, MN 56387 43%1,066$59,009$232,200$169 cheaper homes ($188K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Mattawa, WA 99349 43%186$61,333$427,800$383 larger · younger residents · 12 min longer commute
Riverside, MO 64150 42%1,256$58,846$394,000$215 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · younger residents
Wendover, UT 84083 42%537$44,173$164,600$171 cheaper homes ($255K less) · younger residents · older homes
Airway Heights, WA 99001 42%67$62,518$346,200$233 cheaper homes ($74K less) · larger · younger residents
New Church, VA 23415 41%2,159$46,836$177,800$206 cheaper homes ($242K less) · larger · 15 min longer commute
Kansas City, MO 64163 41%1,246$59,511$213,100$222 cheaper homes ($207K less) · younger residents · 15 min longer commute
Casselberry, FL 32730 40%2,306$47,500$318,100$204 cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger · 13 min longer commute
Midway, TN 37809 40%1,889$50,192$163,000$180 cheaper homes ($257K less) · 10 min longer commute · more homeowners

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.