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 Brant Lake, NY 12815

Brant Lake: median income $76,302, home value $287,500, $299/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Union, MI 49130 93%629$76,667$341,900$245 pricier homes ($54K more)
Etna, CA 96027 89%2,476$64,308$312,700$236 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger
Wallowa, OR 97885 89%2,131$76,645$402,900$234 pricier homes ($115K more)
Hickory, PA 15340 88%412$82,431$291,000$211 Very close on everything we compare
Smithville, OH 44677 88%460$75,435$230,600$247 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger
Ellsworth, MI 49729 88%578$77,870$243,200$244 cheaper homes ($44K less) · 7 min longer commute
Saint Regis, MT 59866 88%1,998$73,462$343,700$304 pricier homes ($56K more)
Ashton, ID 83420 88%1,862$69,286$337,700$228 pricier homes ($50K more) · larger
Hinsdale, MA 01235 87%94$79,327$267,500$280 larger · 7 min longer commute
Bernardston, MA 01337 87%90$85,045$338,800$233 pricier homes ($51K more) · larger
Wall Lake, IA 51466 87%1,081$71,579$179,600$245 cheaper homes ($108K less)
Turtle Lake, WI 54889 87%914$77,143$257,100$288 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Kasota, MN 56050 87%1,004$90,000$342,700$211 pricier homes ($55K more)
Mead, NE 68041 87%1,169$74,000$251,300— cheaper homes ($36K less) · older homes
Elwood, NE 68937 87%1,349$85,260$316,800$399 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · older residents
Lisbon, NH 03585 86%97$68,594$233,700$250 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Maribel, WI 54227 86%700$87,500$247,000$278 cheaper homes ($41K less) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Pleasanton, NE 68866 86%1,306$94,792$262,300— cheaper homes ($25K less) · younger residents
Bertrand, NE 68927 86%1,337$69,167$183,700— cheaper homes ($104K less)
Dayton, WY 82836 86%1,651$79,375$329,100$264 pricier homes ($42K more) · 8 min longer commute
Moore, ID 83255 86%1,965$70,714$283,200$340 more apartments and townhomes
Bay City, OR 97107 86%2,430$70,417$407,400$306 pricier homes ($120K more) · larger
Gill, MA 01354 85%96$90,208$340,100$230 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger
Goshen, NH 03752 85%85$70,417$255,600$332 cheaper homes ($32K less) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Milbridge, ME 04658 85%295$60,536$240,400$262 cheaper homes ($47K less)

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.