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 Wallowa, OR 97885

Wallowa: median income $76,645, home value $402,900, $234/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Union, MI 49130 94%1,594$76,667$341,900$245 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Bernardston, MA 01337 93%2,209$85,045$338,800$233 cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger
Joliet, MT 59041 92%413$80,500$411,700$189 larger
Northfield, CT 06778 90%2,209$81,375$321,600$230 cheaper homes ($81K less) · more homeowners
Big Timber, MT 59011 90%366$78,000$328,100$211 cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger
Hinsdale, MA 01235 89%2,192$79,327$267,500$280 cheaper homes ($135K less) · larger
Brant Lake, NY 12815 89%2,131$76,302$287,500$299 cheaper homes ($115K less)
East New Market, MD 21631 89%2,161$73,864$306,700$198 cheaper homes ($96K less) · larger · newer homes
Ashton, ID 83420 89%318$69,286$337,700$228 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Tuolumne, CA 95379 89%543$74,230$416,000$266 larger
New Haven, VT 05472 88%2,148$92,537$378,000$217 Very close on everything we compare
Kasota, MN 56050 88%1,153$90,000$342,700$211 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Moore, ID 83255 88%238$70,714$283,200$340 cheaper homes ($120K less)
Asotin, WA 99402 88%47$78,906$339,800$197 cheaper homes ($63K less) · newer homes
Craryville, NY 12521 87%2,171$75,652$338,700$290 cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger
Lenhartsville, PA 19534 87%2,107$80,357$293,100$204 cheaper homes ($110K less) · 5 min longer commute
Random Lake, WI 53075 87%1,453$93,750$297,100$212 cheaper homes ($106K less) · larger
Black Earth, WI 53515 87%1,377$92,625$361,300$218 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
Stoddard, WI 54658 87%1,296$73,438$249,800$216 cheaper homes ($153K less) · larger
Cleveland, MN 56017 87%1,158$88,056$330,900$211 cheaper homes ($72K less) · 6 min longer commute
Garretson, SD 57030 87%1,038$79,375$327,400$214 cheaper homes ($76K less) · larger
Etna, CA 96027 87%395$64,308$312,700$236 cheaper homes ($90K less)
Mathews, VA 23109 86%2,178$79,196$310,800$187 cheaper homes ($92K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Darwin, MN 55324 86%1,119$83,269$355,100$196 cheaper homes ($48K less) · newer homes
Pine Bluffs, WY 82082 86%740$69,347$354,000$159 cheaper homes ($49K 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.