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 Freedom, NH 03836

Freedom: median income $66,136, home value $389,000, $344/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mercer, WI 54547 93%940$63,500$306,600$296 cheaper homes ($82K less)
Three Lakes, WI 54562 93%894$57,422$326,300$370 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Sheridan, MT 59749 92%2,003$80,238$382,400$332 Very close on everything we compare
Tower, MN 55790 91%1,055$77,232$328,900$339 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Oriental, NC 28571 90%677$63,393$372,500$257 larger
Lakemont, GA 30552 90%908$66,316$354,700$390 cheaper homes ($34K less) · younger residents
Cable, WI 54821 90%996$57,813$321,400$268 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Hackensack, MN 56452 90%1,154$62,941$352,700$300 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Windham, NY 12496 89%192$59,286$314,200$288 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Swanton, MD 21561 89%517$73,858$328,700$295 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger
Dauphin Island, AL 36528 89%1,322$67,206$432,200$312 pricier homes ($43K more) · 6 min longer commute
Sunrise Beach, MO 65079 89%1,194$70,024$394,800$302 larger
Garden Valley, ID 83622 89%2,198$65,625$576,800$332 pricier homes ($188K more)
Deltaville, VA 23043 88%513$70,625$420,600$315 pricier homes ($32K more) · 7 min longer commute
Maggie Valley, NC 28751 88%857$69,057$313,500$292 cheaper homes ($76K less) · larger
Battle Lake, MN 56515 88%1,210$73,750$398,500$251 larger
Saluda, NC 28773 87%842$70,703$413,700$319 larger · younger residents
Pentwater, MI 49449 87%763$80,917$307,300$278 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger
Hazelhurst, WI 54531 87%924$84,286$344,900$286 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Presque Isle, WI 54557 87%925$74,432$394,600$332 older residents
Crosslake, MN 56442 87%1,134$79,896$479,800$349 pricier homes ($91K more) · larger
Roach, MO 65787 87%1,202$62,917$314,500$254 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Crawford, CO 81415 87%1,915$59,141$330,900$333 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Arroyo Seco, NM 87514 87%1,874$71,556$545,200$432 pricier homes ($156K more)
Georgetown, ME 04548 86%66$84,250$427,200$321 pricier homes ($38K more)

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.