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 Swan Lake, NY 12783

Swan Lake: median income $67,778, home value $248,200, $251/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Gouldsboro, ME 04607 92%389$60,152$253,400$270 5 min longer commute
Iron River, WI 54847 92%886$68,795$266,600$236 larger · younger residents
Jefferson, NH 03583 90%251$67,188$296,700$196 pricier homes ($49K more) · more homeowners
Trego, WI 54888 90%895$63,971$240,500$249 Very close on everything we compare
Kents Hill, ME 04349 89%304$59,500$257,600$307 Very close on everything we compare
Hancock, ME 04640 89%384$71,699$269,100$292 larger · younger residents
White Sulphur Springs, MT 59645 89%1,810$77,241$287,800$300 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
Alstead, NH 03602 88%160$70,455$279,400$216 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · younger residents
Dresden, ME 04342 88%304$74,844$240,100$259 larger · younger residents
Warriors Mark, PA 16877 88%182$68,500$307,700— pricier homes ($60K more) · younger residents
Lovingston, VA 22949 88%346$52,679$272,700$240 Very close on everything we compare
Buchanan Dam, TX 78609 88%1,510$64,418$319,700$189 pricier homes ($72K more) · larger
Waterford, ME 04088 87%269$63,750$276,800$329 pricier homes ($29K more) · younger residents
Saint Albans, ME 04971 87%351$65,600$194,000$244 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · younger residents
Mears, MI 49436 87%605$67,279$255,000$285 larger · more homeowners
Winter, WI 54896 87%854$61,080$195,400$307 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger
Arapahoe, NC 28510 86%477$58,839$264,100$240 larger
Townsend, TN 37882 86%637$69,012$344,500$315 pricier homes ($96K more) · larger
Cable, WI 54821 86%870$57,813$321,400$268 pricier homes ($73K more) · larger
Mcgregor, MN 55760 86%973$59,474$274,600$276 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger
Pittsburg, NH 03592 85%290$61,094$279,500$293 pricier homes ($31K more)
Liberty, TN 37095 85%717$64,792$189,200$212 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger · younger residents
Dent, MN 56528 85%1,086$79,500$319,300$248 pricier homes ($71K more) · larger
Bigfork, MN 56628 85%1,010$61,250$244,700$189 larger · 5 min shorter commute
Roach, MO 65787 85%988$62,917$314,500$254 pricier homes ($66K more) · 7 min shorter commute

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.