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 Millinocket, ME 04462

Millinocket: median income $51,527, home value $112,900, $135/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sodus, NY 14551 92%444$59,167$123,500$128 Very close on everything we compare
New Eagle, PA 15067 90%681$52,352$109,400$173 smaller
Ontonagon, MI 49953 90%987$59,375$119,800$147 smaller
Aurora, MN 55705 90%1,120$56,208$124,100$129 less walkable
Mount Olive, IL 62069 90%1,162$59,764$102,700$109 smaller
Bainbridge, NY 13733 88%409$60,759$121,100$148 less walkable
Linesville, PA 16424 88%649$56,186$128,500$103 Very close on everything we compare
Hurley, WI 54534 88%1,029$53,468$123,600$121 smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Johnstown, PA 15909 87%628$61,016$110,200$107 younger residents
Portage, PA 15946 87%620$55,582$117,000$88 younger residents
Mason, WV 25260 87%819$49,167$99,000$118 smaller
Toronto, OH 43964 87%699$60,365$132,800$135 larger · younger residents
Rogers City, MI 49779 87%731$53,465$124,000$79 Very close on everything we compare
Park Falls, WI 54552 87%1,043$61,317$150,700$116 pricier homes ($38K more) · newer homes
Derry, PA 15627 86%650$59,398$157,000$164 pricier homes ($44K more) · younger residents
Dewey, OK 74029 86%1,532$57,821$151,400$118 pricier homes ($39K more) · more renters
Hopwood, PA 15445 85%683$47,955$179,000$140 pricier homes ($66K more) · smaller
Boswell, PA 15531 85%644$60,855$137,500$128 younger residents
Pleasantville, PA 16341 85%611$61,818$121,800$148 smaller · less walkable
East Freedom, PA 16637 85%614$56,083$120,400$164 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Wellsburg, WV 26070 85%707$52,359$143,500$92 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · younger residents
Rose City, MI 48654 85%756$45,202$140,800$145 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Onaway, MI 49765 85%750$57,404$124,000$154 younger residents · newer homes
Iron River, MI 49935 85%957$57,236$111,500$139 8 min shorter commute
Appleton, MN 56208 85%1,317$59,766$102,800$114 smaller

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.