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.

Reset

Towns most like Ione, WA 99139

Ione: median income $52,404, home value $274,100, $143/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Berrien Center, MI 49102 87%1,570$63,000$262,400$148 5 min longer commute
Mc Gregor, IA 52157 86%1,314$52,625$193,500$130 cheaper homes ($81K less) · more renters
Kamiah, ID 83536 86%186$53,707$241,800$139 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger
Ninilchik, AK 99639 86%1,557$47,333$250,800$168 newer homes
Rossburg, OH 45362 85%1,702$61,687$231,500$152 cheaper homes ($43K less) · 6 min longer commute
Loyalton, CA 96118 85%642$54,167$243,800$229 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Wallace, MI 49893 84%1,416$63,125$197,600$135 cheaper homes ($77K less) · 7 min longer commute
Cape Vincent, NY 13618 82%1,959$61,494$228,700$143 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
State Road, NC 28676 82%2,023$60,833$242,600$191 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger
Harrisville, MI 48740 82%1,625$54,393$155,800$133 cheaper homes ($118K less) · larger
Akeley, MN 56433 82%1,055$58,889$228,500$185 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Green Ridge, MO 65332 82%1,379$66,750$243,500$146 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger · younger residents
North Clarendon, VT 05759 81%2,127$58,150$209,100$199 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger · younger residents
Hendricks, MN 56136 81%1,035$68,281$225,600$133 cheaper homes ($49K less) · older homes
Cape Fair, MO 65624 81%1,458$61,995$237,500$136 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Junction City, CA 96048 81%618$50,521$284,000$159 younger residents · more renters
Flintstone, MD 21530 80%1,998$63,542$202,400$137 cheaper homes ($72K less) · 9 min longer commute
Melber, KY 42069 80%1,652$48,929$208,500$111 cheaper homes ($66K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Florence, WI 54121 80%1,372$58,750$189,600$194 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger
Center, MO 63436 80%1,423$56,808$175,500$120 cheaper homes ($99K less) · 5 min longer commute
Paint Rock, TX 76866 80%1,500$56,429$163,100— cheaper homes ($111K less) · younger residents
Antonito, CO 81120 80%988$47,546$188,200$182 cheaper homes ($86K less) · larger · younger residents
Pine Bluffs, WY 82082 80%834$69,347$354,000$159 pricier homes ($80K more) · larger
Penrose, NC 28766 79%1,991$57,708$307,000$252 pricier homes ($33K more) · newer homes
Orland, IN 46776 79%1,629$54,801$208,700$151 cheaper homes ($65K less) · 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.