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 Colfax, WA 99111

Colfax: median income $73,393, home value $295,800, $184/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hurleyville, NY 12747 93%2,114$71,563$336,900$141 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller
Fort Benton, MT 59442 91%324$67,917$254,000$190 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Luverne, MN 56156 90%1,049$71,066$232,300$133 cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger
Choteau, MT 59422 88%251$67,500$256,500$184 cheaper homes ($39K less) · newer homes
Lancaster, NH 03584 87%2,186$66,768$209,500$163 cheaper homes ($86K less) · older residents
Bluffton, OH 45817 87%1,704$76,848$210,100$173 cheaper homes ($86K less)
Archbold, OH 43502 86%1,666$74,925$203,300$177 cheaper homes ($93K less) · larger
Mayville, WI 53050 86%1,414$71,985$210,600$170 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger
Port Ewen, NY 12466 85%2,142$78,182$278,400$276 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Union Springs, NY 13160 85%1,990$86,029$185,600$168 cheaper homes ($110K less) · smaller
Oriskany, NY 13424 85%2,044$84,844$208,200$163 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller
Olyphant, PA 18447 85%2,078$66,677$207,900$150 cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger
Clinton, WI 53525 85%1,422$79,323$248,100$189 cheaper homes ($48K less) · 7 min longer commute
Mineral Point, WI 53565 85%1,354$84,589$269,800$183 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 5 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Viroqua, WI 54665 85%1,303$72,093$228,200$193 cheaper homes ($68K less) · larger · newer homes
Deer Lodge, MT 59722 85%222$62,230$279,000$174 Very close on everything we compare
Milford, NE 68405 85%1,093$75,250$244,600$153 cheaper homes ($51K less) · younger residents
Monte Vista, CO 81144 85%860$64,662$234,200$191 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger · newer homes
Brewer, ME 04412 84%2,307$66,613$245,300$194 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger · more renters
Vernon, NY 13476 84%2,035$62,798$204,000$148 cheaper homes ($92K less) · smaller
Whitesboro, NY 13492 84%2,046$82,173$207,900$192 cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger
Herminie, PA 15637 84%1,920$70,461$220,600$159 cheaper homes ($75K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
New Bremen, OH 45869 84%1,694$88,277$249,700$183 cheaper homes ($46K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Decorah, IA 52101 84%1,265$73,484$273,200$172 larger · newer homes
Le Sueur, MN 56058 84%1,142$86,677$280,300$158 larger · 8 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.