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 Fairview, UT 84629

Fairview: median income $65,962, home value $336,700, $248/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Balsam Lake, WI 54810 92%1,046$69,917$271,600$263 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Tafton, PA 18464 91%1,895$77,277$312,600$253 smaller · older residents
Worton, MD 21678 91%1,873$71,023$319,000$266 smaller · older residents
Reva, VA 22735 91%1,778$67,536$345,200$264 smaller
Hanover, VA 23069 91%1,833$83,453$356,400$274 Very close on everything we compare
Rydal, GA 30171 91%1,512$73,409$365,000$224 pricier homes ($28K more)
New Auburn, WI 54757 91%1,084$70,395$234,800$197 cheaper homes ($102K less)
Fort Ripley, MN 56449 91%979$74,861$309,100$202 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Effingham, NH 03882 90%2,086$76,607$322,700$294 smaller
Kirkwood, PA 17536 90%1,866$76,042$339,200$217 Very close on everything we compare
Mineral Bluff, GA 30559 90%1,523$57,389$332,400$286 larger
Shepherd, MT 59079 90%464$68,047$376,300$248 pricier homes ($40K more) · more apartments and townhomes
McCammon, ID 83250 90%211$73,555$322,000$217 5 min longer commute
Oakboro, NC 28129 89%1,724$69,906$266,800$209 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger
Andersonville, TN 37705 89%1,506$79,262$286,400$242 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger
Smithfield, KY 40068 89%1,403$80,750$325,300$232 Very close on everything we compare
Overgaard, AZ 85933 89%364$65,735$320,100$308 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Spring Mills, PA 16875 88%1,777$71,250$307,700$211 cheaper homes ($29K less) · older residents
Rising Fawn, GA 30738 88%1,460$66,080$284,700$224 cheaper homes ($52K less) · older residents
Gilbertsville, KY 42044 88%1,266$57,333$271,400$242 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Rapid City, MI 49676 88%1,379$75,781$269,300$290 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Brussels, WI 54204 88%1,264$79,803$379,800$299 pricier homes ($43K more)
Mindoro, WI 54644 88%1,089$77,143$256,500$234 cheaper homes ($80K less) · smaller
Laporte, MN 56461 88%985$78,188$273,700$193 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Billings, MO 65610 88%984$77,155$287,500$177 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger

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.