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 Cle Elum, WA 98922

Cle Elum: median income $73,603, home value $647,600, $457/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Florence, MT 59833 86%327$94,097$551,600$333 cheaper homes ($96K less)
Stevensville, MT 59870 86%330$80,325$515,600$354 cheaper homes ($132K less) · larger · younger residents
Thayne, WY 83127 86%568$87,743$482,700$325 cheaper homes ($165K less) · smaller
Terrebonne, OR 97760 86%195$87,603$486,700$359 cheaper homes ($161K less)
Athol, ID 83801 85%204$71,108$612,500$402 cheaper homes ($35K less) · younger residents
Trout Creek, MT 59874 84%256$64,319$540,100$428 cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller
Myakka City, FL 34251 83%2,497$92,005$481,900$345 cheaper homes ($166K less) · younger residents
Tetonia, ID 83452 83%528$72,083$565,800$602 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller · younger residents
Spirit Lake, ID 83869 83%198$67,099$466,000$368 cheaper homes ($182K less) · younger residents
Priest River, ID 83856 82%200$75,285$427,900$333 cheaper homes ($220K less) · older homes
Captain Cook, HI 96704 82%2,742$86,941$662,200$294 Very close on everything we compare
Gardnerville, NV 89460 81%576$92,292$501,700$368 cheaper homes ($146K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Julian, CA 92036 81%1,005$73,750$591,400$408 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller · older homes
Hesperus, CO 81326 80%954$80,089$558,600$413 cheaper homes ($89K less) · smaller
Ennis, MT 59729 79%461$83,365$480,300$408 cheaper homes ($167K less) · smaller · younger residents
Divide, CO 80814 79%976$80,500$466,800$254 cheaper homes ($181K less) · smaller
Sagle, ID 83860 79%217$71,563$597,500$482 cheaper homes ($50K less) · 12 min shorter commute
Platteville, CO 80651 78%938$81,586$474,700$277 cheaper homes ($173K less) · smaller · younger residents
Colfax, CA 95713 78%562$87,839$487,000$312 cheaper homes ($161K less) · younger residents · older homes
Hawi, HI 96719 78%2,697$79,471$612,100— cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller · younger residents
Moneta, VA 24121 77%2,197$81,006$391,800$299 cheaper homes ($256K less) · older residents
Corvallis, MT 59828 77%331$80,294$544,500$335 cheaper homes ($103K less) · 11 min shorter commute
Keaau, HI 96749 77%2,699$85,399$442,200$361 cheaper homes ($205K less) · larger · younger residents
New Hampton, NH 03256 76%2,365$87,917$382,000$353 cheaper homes ($266K less) · smaller
Calverton, NY 11933 76%2,394$74,195$444,100$400 cheaper homes ($204K less) · 5 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes

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.