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 Strong, ME 04983

Strong: median income $53,894, home value $190,500, $195/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Arrington, VA 22922 92%669$60,125$226,000$206 pricier homes ($36K more) · younger residents
Forestport, NY 13338 91%263$58,333$176,300$167 smaller
Middlebury Center, PA 16935 91%410$63,125$200,000$182 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Carsonville, MI 48419 91%621$59,485$172,900$242 Very close on everything we compare
Utica, PA 16362 90%541$65,833$183,000$159 smaller
Johannesburg, MI 49751 90%692$62,008$188,600$162 6 min shorter commute
Dallas, WI 54733 90%1,053$58,421$177,000$181 smaller
Trimble, MO 64492 90%1,294$66,211$225,900$186 pricier homes ($35K more)
Thayer, KS 66776 90%1,402$57,304$136,100— cheaper homes ($54K less)
Stuart, OK 74570 90%1,528$57,131$163,000— cheaper homes ($28K less)
Equinunk, PA 18417 89%325$63,333$257,700$179 pricier homes ($67K more) · smaller
Noxen, PA 18636 89%376$57,132$180,200$177 Very close on everything we compare
Pelham, TN 37366 89%1,052$58,616$188,500— smaller
Guysville, OH 45735 89%712$51,364$149,300$237 cheaper homes ($41K less) · younger residents
Brethren, MI 49619 89%776$62,574$162,100$206 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Daggett, MI 49821 89%847$58,750$164,300$162 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
La Mesa, NM 88044 89%2,141$64,910$234,200$187 pricier homes ($44K more)
Gouldsboro, PA 18424 88%364$61,315$195,500$201 larger
Palestine, WV 26160 88%703$48,992$181,100— smaller
Liberty, TN 37095 88%1,025$64,792$189,200$212 older residents
Walling, TN 38587 88%1,017$51,500$249,600$248 pricier homes ($59K more) · 5 min longer commute
Six Lakes, MI 48886 88%745$61,667$165,600$179 Very close on everything we compare
Remus, MI 49340 88%743$54,417$190,900$209 Very close on everything we compare
Askov, MN 55704 88%1,091$62,500$234,300$208 pricier homes ($44K more) · smaller
Gallatin, MO 64640 88%1,255$61,302$194,300$186 larger · more renters

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.