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 Lakeside Marblehead, OH 43440

Lakeside Marblehead: median income $74,818, home value $297,100, $317/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bellaire, MI 49615 92%268$79,469$292,300$251 Very close on everything we compare
Pentwater, MI 49449 89%243$80,917$307,300$278 smaller · more single-family homes
Sunrise Beach, MO 65079 89%579$70,024$394,800$302 pricier homes ($98K more)
Enfield, NH 03748 86%561$95,089$388,500$290 pricier homes ($91K more)
Center Conway, NH 03813 86%618$56,951$252,200$330 cheaper homes ($45K less) · younger residents
Chincoteague Island, VA 23336 86%465$63,464$346,700$288 pricier homes ($50K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Bokeelia, FL 33922 86%1,028$71,164$355,800$269 pricier homes ($59K more) · younger residents
Egg Harbor, WI 54209 86%331$77,188$386,700$335 pricier homes ($90K more) · smaller
Ocean Park, WA 98640 86%2,055$65,735$355,400$302 pricier homes ($58K more)
Chestertown, NY 12817 85%479$93,393$327,600$316 pricier homes ($31K more) · smaller
Elkhart Lake, WI 53020 85%309$89,155$330,900$248 pricier homes ($34K more)
Custer, SD 57730 85%1,058$83,469$378,800$279 pricier homes ($82K more)
Maggie Valley, NC 28751 84%415$69,057$313,500$292 6 min longer commute
Flagler Beach, FL 32136 84%838$78,818$471,000$280 pricier homes ($174K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Harbor Springs, MI 49740 84%298$89,250$363,500$312 pricier homes ($66K more) · larger · younger residents
Lanesborough, MA 01237 83%495$90,898$303,700$274 smaller · younger residents
Freedom, NH 03836 83%615$66,136$389,000$344 pricier homes ($92K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Renfrew, PA 16053 83%154$76,054$297,500$218 younger residents · newer homes
Spring Green, WI 53588 83%389$83,417$292,300$232 younger residents
Tamworth, NH 03886 82%606$74,450$368,200$274 pricier homes ($71K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Belfast, ME 04915 82%723$66,362$308,700$271 larger · more renters
Flat Rock, NC 28731 82%431$66,309$402,300$253 pricier homes ($105K more) · larger · younger residents
Melrose, FL 32666 82%816$68,765$218,000$222 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Frankfort, MI 49635 82%276$72,422$366,700$263 pricier homes ($70K more) · more single-family homes
Crawford, CO 81415 82%1,322$59,141$330,900$333 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller

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.