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 Malaga, NJ 08328

Malaga: median income $101,583, home value $236,900, $247/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Watkins, MN 55389 90%1,061$96,786$273,700$251 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger
Kirkland, IL 60146 89%742$88,032$222,000$181 larger
Kingston, IL 60145 87%737$108,477$268,300$191 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · more homeowners
Landisburg, PA 17040 86%131$78,824$261,900$183 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger
Powers Lake, ND 58773 86%1,496$103,750$262,500— pricier homes ($26K more) · 8 min shorter commute
Grant Park, IL 60940 86%672$97,361$271,900$163 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger
Chaplin, CT 06235 85%217$98,059$256,300$272 older residents
Sterling, CT 06377 85%225$97,308$275,900$298 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger · newer homes
Hilliards, PA 16040 85%272$84,792$177,700$183 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Blooming Grove, TX 76626 85%1,314$102,500$205,600— cheaper homes ($31K less) · more renters · less walkable
Mountain View, WY 82939 85%1,847$98,171$266,700$172 pricier homes ($30K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Buskirk, NY 12028 84%248$96,891$247,700— more homeowners
Taylors Falls, MN 55084 84%985$94,297$318,500$276 pricier homes ($82K more)
Bowlus, MN 56314 84%1,070$95,972$262,800$175 pricier homes ($26K more) · more homeowners
Danbury, TX 77534 84%1,355$105,741$245,700$148 larger
Menan, ID 83434 84%1,912$82,731$277,400$192 pricier homes ($41K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Fairplay, MD 21733 83%144$109,896$291,800$186 pricier homes ($55K more) · 6 min longer commute
Bremen, OH 43107 83%391$78,482$241,600$208 larger
Mount Sterling, OH 43143 83%437$100,333$242,800$179 larger
Rushville, OH 43150 83%392$75,284$271,500$264 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($35K more) · larger
Grasston, MN 55030 83%1,010$81,563$195,800$209 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Archie, MO 64725 83%1,037$84,722$232,100$180 5 min shorter commute
Steep Falls, ME 04085 82%369$92,246$288,600$253 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger · older residents
Roopville, GA 30170 82%703$90,962$222,000$189 larger
Vanleer, TN 37181 82%714$78,625$215,500$259 older 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.