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 Smartsville, CA 95977

Smartsville: median income $104,545, home value $441,700, $312/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Columbia City, OR 97018 92%468$96,750$460,000$294 Very close on everything we compare
Troy, VA 22974 89%2,304$112,344$368,900$271 cheaper homes ($73K less) · larger
Prole, IA 50229 88%1,454$123,164$416,700— cheaper homes ($25K less)
Audubon, MN 56511 86%1,376$89,875$401,900$261 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Center Barnstead, NH 03225 85%2,576$111,660$368,400$327 cheaper homes ($73K less) · larger · older homes
Madison, NH 03849 85%2,574$96,439$390,100$289 cheaper homes ($52K less) · older homes
Runnells, IA 50237 85%1,470$101,806$346,900$300 cheaper homes ($95K less) · larger
Palo, IA 52324 85%1,552$115,917$327,400$200 cheaper homes ($114K less)
Park City, MT 59063 85%770$99,432$449,200$280 more renters
Denton, NE 68339 85%1,295$101,146$444,700$272 smaller · older residents
Toquerville, UT 84774 85%455$97,813$563,200$277 pricier homes ($122K more)
Pegram, TN 37143 84%1,875$96,929$392,400$234 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger
Abrams, WI 54101 84%1,737$94,500$304,100$212 cheaper homes ($138K less) · larger
Sobieski, WI 54171 84%1,735$113,698$349,100$217 cheaper homes ($93K less) · larger
Frenchtown, MT 59834 84%647$94,406$449,500$307 younger residents
Collbran, CO 81624 84%715$91,739$472,600$431 pricier homes ($31K more) · more renters
Henefer, UT 84033 84%532$94,038$463,700$298 smaller · 7 min longer commute · more renters
Wilson, WI 54027 83%1,535$100,750$325,900$316 cheaper homes ($116K less) · smaller · older homes
Little Suamico, WI 54141 83%1,739$101,553$288,400$216 cheaper homes ($153K less) · larger
Miltona, MN 56354 83%1,395$88,693$403,700$235 cheaper homes ($38K less) · older residents
Kila, MT 59920 83%700$86,605$722,500$346 pricier homes ($281K more)
Agency, MO 64401 83%1,414$99,398$271,900— cheaper homes ($170K less)
Burton, TX 77835 83%1,530$109,917$394,700$281 cheaper homes ($47K less) · older residents
New Meadows, ID 83654 83%475$91,750$534,600$403 pricier homes ($93K more) · older residents
Nooksack, WA 98276 83%673$97,159$524,300$291 pricier homes ($83K more) · younger residents

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.