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 Northfield, CT 06778

Northfield: median income $81,375, home value $321,600, $230/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Carlos, MN 56319 94%1,141$89,712$273,100$228 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Darwin, MN 55324 93%1,092$83,269$355,100$196 pricier homes ($34K more)
Caledonia, WI 53108 92%760$86,679$296,800$233 larger
Larsen, WI 54947 92%806$91,167$280,400$193 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Melrose, NY 12121 91%82$100,461$297,400$232 Very close on everything we compare
Dalton, MN 56324 91%1,171$82,917$252,600$160 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller
Underwood, MN 56586 91%1,169$79,583$309,800$268 6 min longer commute
Casstown, OH 45312 90%585$91,842$279,400$201 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Deerbrook, WI 54424 90%841$77,500$229,700$223 cheaper homes ($92K less)
Greenville, CA 95947 90%2,464$82,500$339,400$275 6 min longer commute
Wallowa, OR 97885 90%2,209$76,645$402,900$234 pricier homes ($81K more) · more renters
East New Market, MD 21631 89%263$73,864$306,700$198 larger
Rubicon, WI 53078 89%788$94,688$364,200$345 pricier homes ($43K more)
Waldo, WI 53093 89%766$101,429$274,800$223 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Maribel, WI 54227 89%763$87,500$247,000$278 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Valders, WI 54245 89%764$85,302$226,700$227 cheaper homes ($95K less)
Sibley, MO 64088 89%1,119$101,645$342,800$213 6 min longer commute
Craryville, NY 12521 88%43$75,652$338,700$290 Very close on everything we compare
Cascade, WI 53011 88%772$90,833$253,400$193 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Newton, WI 53063 88%759$100,000$257,200$214 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Coon Valley, WI 54623 88%918$88,864$276,400$181 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Jim Falls, WI 54748 88%938$78,750$235,100$161 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Ashton, ID 83420 88%1,930$69,286$337,700$228 larger
Hinsdale, MA 01235 87%50$79,327$267,500$280 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · more renters
Fruitport, MI 49415 87%671$81,908$246,300$213 cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger

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.