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 Montesano, WA 98563

Montesano: median income $84,634, home value $349,200, $230/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Feeding Hills, MA 01030 93%2,481$93,815$327,700$248 larger
Egg Harbor City, NJ 08215 93%2,470$80,893$286,500$220 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger
Cannon Falls, MN 55009 92%1,477$91,295$331,300$208 Very close on everything we compare
Lake City, MN 55041 92%1,506$78,672$275,200$221 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Uncasville, CT 06382 90%2,525$89,635$267,800$257 cheaper homes ($81K less) · younger residents
Clear Lake, IA 50428 90%1,484$81,037$283,400$232 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Willits, CA 95490 90%528$79,594$392,700$254 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger
Weed, CA 96094 90%395$68,103$332,300$208 Very close on everything we compare
Cottage Grove, OR 97424 90%229$79,688$372,500$275 larger · younger residents
Swanton, VT 05488 89%2,380$77,154$288,700$225 cheaper homes ($61K less) · younger residents
Tilton, NH 03276 88%2,490$82,425$272,700$250 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Newport, NH 03773 88%2,466$81,232$239,300$213 cheaper homes ($110K less)
Perryville, MD 21903 88%2,402$78,962$299,300$207 cheaper homes ($50K less) · younger residents
Sandston, VA 23150 88%2,415$79,050$283,000$228 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger
Milford, IA 51351 88%1,396$73,824$273,100$184 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller
Jefferson, WI 53549 88%1,703$80,101$262,200$207 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Big Timber, MT 59011 88%649$78,000$328,100$211 smaller
Oakhurst, CA 93644 88%701$81,196$396,300$250 pricier homes ($47K more) · less walkable
Swanzey, NH 03446 87%2,474$85,484$262,100$228 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Somerdale, NJ 08083 87%2,441$96,653$272,700$249 cheaper homes ($77K less) · younger residents
Bath, PA 18014 87%2,394$82,027$288,700$223 cheaper homes ($61K less) · larger
Wind Gap, PA 18091 87%2,396$80,464$277,600$271 cheaper homes ($72K less) · more renters
Watertown, WI 53098 87%1,700$74,431$253,600$216 cheaper homes ($96K less)
Saint Paul Park, MN 55071 87%1,464$100,798$267,500$187 cheaper homes ($82K less) · younger residents
Junction City, OR 97448 87%200$81,029$478,700$288 pricier homes ($130K more) · larger · 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.