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.

Reset

Towns most like Rock Hall, MD 21661

Rock Hall: median income $90,492, home value $283,200, $304/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Chestertown, NY 12817 94%336$93,393$327,600$316 pricier homes ($44K more)
Green Lake, WI 54941 94%734$79,146$276,000$239 Very close on everything we compare
Spring Green, WI 53588 91%771$83,417$292,300$232 Very close on everything we compare
Margaretville, NY 12455 90%227$85,926$255,100$264 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Custer, SD 57730 90%1,437$83,469$378,800$279 pricier homes ($96K more) · larger
Enfield, NH 03748 89%376$95,089$388,500$290 pricier homes ($105K more) · larger
Tamworth, NH 03886 89%415$74,450$368,200$274 pricier homes ($85K more) · smaller
Tenants Harbor, ME 04860 88%492$86,833$271,400$352 smaller · younger residents
Hammondsport, NY 14840 88%233$84,792$245,000$244 cheaper homes ($38K less) · older homes
North Bend, OH 45052 88%455$101,165$304,900$264 larger
Elkhart Lake, WI 53020 88%689$89,155$330,900$248 pricier homes ($48K more) · more homeowners
Boulder Junction, WI 54512 88%833$75,147$294,500$338 smaller
Sheridan, MT 59749 88%1,871$80,238$382,400$332 pricier homes ($99K more) · more homeowners
Lake George, NY 12845 87%324$100,774$355,900$325 pricier homes ($73K more) · larger · younger residents
Pentwater, MI 49449 87%617$80,917$307,300$278 more homeowners
Bellaire, MI 49615 87%612$79,469$292,300$251 larger
White Sulphur Springs, MT 59645 87%1,821$77,241$287,800$300 smaller
Elwood, NE 68937 87%1,252$85,260$316,800$399 pricier homes ($34K more)
Phippsburg, ME 04562 86%461$107,833$335,800$423 pricier homes ($53K more)
Shoreham, VT 05770 86%361$92,188$320,000$217 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller · younger residents
North Grosvenordale, CT 06255 86%300$88,750$312,200$284 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · older homes
Minocqua, WI 54548 86%830$69,569$336,400$288 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger
Battle Lake, MN 56515 86%1,102$73,750$398,500$251 pricier homes ($115K more)
Sundance, WY 82729 86%1,488$89,306$308,400$204 pricier homes ($25K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Wiscasset, ME 04578 85%477$81,063$327,400$234 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger · younger 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.