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 Bay City, OR 97107

Bay City: median income $70,417, home value $407,400, $306/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Big Pine, CA 93513 90%645$67,292$330,300$265 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Etna, CA 96027 90%285$64,308$312,700$236 cheaper homes ($95K less) · older residents
Accident, MD 21520 88%2,274$59,852$298,600$236 cheaper homes ($109K less)
Big Timber, MT 59011 87%671$78,000$328,100$211 cheaper homes ($79K less) · 6 min longer commute
Ashton, ID 83420 87%619$69,286$337,700$228 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Port Hadlock, WA 98339 87%181$77,778$409,800$350 larger · more walkable
Millerton, NY 12546 86%2,484$84,455$313,300$313 cheaper homes ($94K less) · 6 min longer commute
Brant Lake, NY 12815 86%2,430$76,302$287,500$299 cheaper homes ($120K less) · smaller
Saint Regis, MT 59866 86%433$73,462$343,700$304 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller
Moore, ID 83255 86%527$70,714$283,200$340 cheaper homes ($124K less) · smaller
Cascade, ID 83611 86%405$77,411$429,400$335 larger · 6 min longer commute
Oakhurst, CA 93644 86%605$81,196$396,300$250 larger
Grangeville, ID 83530 85%376$79,477$324,000$269 cheaper homes ($83K less) · larger
Bernardston, MA 01337 84%2,509$85,045$338,800$233 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Lennox, SD 57039 84%1,334$83,787$290,400$230 cheaper homes ($117K less) · larger
Pateros, WA 98846 84%253$84,464$338,200$276 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller
Boothbay, ME 04537 83%2,615$76,667$358,600$296 cheaper homes ($49K less) · older residents
Blue Hill, ME 04614 83%2,649$80,377$399,500$276 newer homes
Tiger, GA 30576 83%2,233$81,417$324,900$245 cheaper homes ($83K less) · larger · newer homes
Paonia, CO 81428 83%949$75,799$432,700$279 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger · older residents
Buffalo, WY 82834 83%842$63,395$328,700$222 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger
Monticello, UT 84535 83%914$75,625$321,700$220 cheaper homes ($86K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Hinsdale, MA 01235 82%2,493$79,327$267,500$280 cheaper homes ($140K less) · 7 min longer commute
Walpole, NH 03608 82%2,506$88,224$355,600$219 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Mc Henry, MD 21541 82%2,272$82,955$342,500$258 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller

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.