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 Spirit Lake, ID 83869

Spirit Lake: median income $67,099, home value $466,000, $368/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Platteville, CO 80651 89%802$81,586$474,700$277 Very close on everything we compare
Toledo, WA 98591 88%299$78,952$471,100$324 older homes
Myakka City, FL 34251 87%2,340$92,005$481,900$345 Very close on everything we compare
Alberton, MT 59820 87%130$69,091$367,400$285 cheaper homes ($99K less) · smaller
Overgaard, AZ 85933 87%992$65,735$320,100$308 cheaper homes ($146K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Vernonia, OR 97064 87%332$67,317$383,600$298 cheaper homes ($82K less)
Townsend, MT 59644 86%277$68,811$361,500$300 cheaper homes ($105K less) · older residents
Stevensville, MT 59870 86%165$80,325$515,600$354 pricier homes ($50K more) · larger
Garden Valley, CA 95633 85%660$74,258$434,200$304 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller · older homes
Estacada, OR 97023 84%318$76,762$562,600$280 pricier homes ($97K more) · larger · more renters
Deming, WA 98244 84%247$67,159$447,000$394 smaller · older residents
Tenino, WA 98589 84%290$83,855$438,700$317 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Loon Lake, WA 99148 84%36$67,431$429,900$336 cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller · older residents
Hollywood, SC 29449 83%2,168$56,929$409,500$296 cheaper homes ($57K less) · older residents
Cle Elum, WA 98922 83%198$73,603$647,600$457 pricier homes ($182K more) · older residents
Deer Park, WA 99006 83%28$72,200$419,600$260 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Newport, WA 99156 83%19$65,271$378,400$334 cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger · more renters
Holtwood, PA 17532 82%2,069$84,562$348,600$312 cheaper homes ($117K less) · smaller
Talking Rock, GA 30175 82%1,901$69,737$332,700$244 cheaper homes ($133K less) · older residents
Cross Plains, TN 37049 82%1,718$90,048$368,800$315 cheaper homes ($97K less) · younger residents
Mountain View, HI 96771 82%2,895$62,426$331,900$364 cheaper homes ($134K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Winlock, WA 98596 82%301$80,188$415,600$299 cheaper homes ($50K less) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Bon Aqua, TN 37025 81%1,716$77,846$283,400$239 cheaper homes ($183K less)
Shepherd, MT 59079 81%425$68,047$376,300$248 cheaper homes ($90K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Wittmann, AZ 85361 81%1,006$77,361$412,400$247 cheaper homes ($54K 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.