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 Monroe, UT 84754

Monroe: median income $72,794, home value $304,600, $169/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hico, TX 76457 95%918$72,238$264,100$164 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Frazee, MN 56544 94%1,009$72,885$245,400$189 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Stratford, WI 54484 93%1,210$72,047$248,600$158 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Stevens, PA 17578 92%1,909$81,990$314,900$196 larger
Verona, VA 24482 92%1,783$75,866$262,000$224 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Black Hawk, SD 57718 92%592$84,162$300,100$195 larger
Boulder, MT 59632 92%523$68,750$278,800$180 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Roebuck, SC 29376 91%1,683$70,645$234,200$158 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger
Bellevue, IA 52031 91%1,164$86,674$244,600$152 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Westby, WI 54667 91%1,155$75,774$224,200$173 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Shell Lake, WI 54871 91%1,138$69,342$241,000$163 cheaper homes ($64K less) · older residents
Lennox, SD 57039 91%857$83,787$290,400$230 Very close on everything we compare
New Haven, MO 63068 91%1,126$79,632$226,300$161 cheaper homes ($78K less)
Cache, OK 73527 91%799$74,526$202,800$155 cheaper homes ($102K less)
Eagar, AZ 85925 91%352$82,708$248,400$227 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Delta Junction, AK 99737 91%2,224$83,107$312,600$199 Very close on everything we compare
Parsonsburg, MD 21849 90%1,968$71,211$249,200$213 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Spout Spring, VA 24593 90%1,801$79,018$243,900$195 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller
Walkertown, NC 27051 90%1,753$74,804$209,900$181 cheaper homes ($95K less) · larger
Pinebluff, NC 28373 90%1,812$81,538$224,400$199 cheaper homes ($80K less) · smaller
Wade, NC 28395 90%1,851$84,375$263,000$166 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Hillsboro, TN 37342 90%1,456$68,487$269,800$185 cheaper homes ($35K less) · less walkable
Minster, OH 45865 90%1,478$89,000$286,300$177 Very close on everything we compare
Bristol, IN 46507 90%1,399$82,683$245,400$162 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger
Alanson, MI 49706 90%1,470$76,906$248,500$235 cheaper homes ($56K 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.