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 Williams, OR 97544

Williams: median income $55,583, home value $563,700, $298/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Garden Valley, ID 83622 89%397$65,625$576,800$332 Very close on everything we compare
Victor, MT 59875 88%535$63,036$525,500$297 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger
Saluda, NC 28773 86%2,237$70,703$413,700$319 cheaper homes ($150K less) · larger
Westwood, CA 96137 86%177$65,896$414,900$322 cheaper homes ($149K less) · larger
Lakemont, GA 30552 85%2,196$66,316$354,700$390 cheaper homes ($209K less)
Worley, ID 83876 85%476$60,729$536,700$411 cheaper homes ($27K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Lyle, WA 98635 85%263$61,448$491,900$270 cheaper homes ($72K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Roach, MO 65787 83%1,620$62,917$314,500$254 cheaper homes ($249K less)
Freedom, NH 03836 82%2,596$66,136$389,000$344 cheaper homes ($175K less) · older residents
Warwick, MD 21912 82%2,458$69,868$391,700$259 cheaper homes ($172K less) · 6 min longer commute
Cobbs Creek, VA 23035 82%2,477$68,438$441,000$198 cheaper homes ($123K less)
Three Lakes, WI 54562 82%1,702$57,422$326,300$370 cheaper homes ($237K less) · older residents
Hackensack, MN 56452 82%1,445$62,941$352,700$300 cheaper homes ($211K less) · older residents
Darby, MT 59829 82%521$63,650$437,900$315 cheaper homes ($126K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Penobscot, ME 04476 81%2,695$63,194$296,400$280 cheaper homes ($267K less) · smaller
Good Hope, GA 30641 81%2,217$70,491$409,400$220 cheaper homes ($154K less) · newer homes
Cathlamet, WA 98612 81%274$59,583$429,600$318 cheaper homes ($134K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Cable, WI 54821 80%1,600$57,813$321,400$268 cheaper homes ($242K less) · older residents
Huson, MT 59846 80%549$70,851$461,200$472 cheaper homes ($103K less)
Glenville, NC 28736 79%2,200$70,855$428,400$373 cheaper homes ($135K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Merrifield, MN 56465 79%1,461$74,400$372,100$337 cheaper homes ($192K less)
Battle Lake, MN 56515 79%1,386$73,750$398,500$251 cheaper homes ($165K less) · older residents
Weston, CO 81091 79%1,039$50,179$351,900$218 cheaper homes ($212K less) · smaller
Cedaredge, CO 81413 79%837$58,465$355,800$245 cheaper homes ($208K less) · larger
Norwood, CO 81423 79%840$62,125$425,000$292 cheaper homes ($139K less) · smaller · 6 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.