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 Peninsula, OH 44264

Peninsula: median income $101,852, home value $354,600, $215/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Eldridge, IA 52748 92%468$107,869$326,600$185 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Port Matilda, PA 16870 90%183$121,528$411,100$235 pricier homes ($57K more) · larger
Dundas, MN 55019 90%630$117,381$350,700$200 smaller
Mc Gaheysville, VA 22840 89%247$95,667$382,500$257 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger · older residents
Alexander, NC 28701 89%386$108,125$324,300$278 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
Omaha, NE 68142 89%755$109,142$340,900$191 newer homes
Granger, IA 50109 88%636$118,669$370,100$251 younger residents
Solon, IA 52333 88%517$118,721$366,900$177 larger
Sherwood, WI 54169 88%398$109,524$351,200$208 Very close on everything we compare
Holderness, NH 03245 87%535$107,863$363,100$273 smaller · older homes
Ocean View, NJ 08230 87%386$115,152$410,200$245 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger · older residents
Belmont, MI 49306 87%242$115,039$373,500$214 larger
Huxley, IA 50124 87%625$114,904$305,200$258 cheaper homes ($49K less) · younger residents
Belleville, WI 53508 87%426$99,948$350,700$230 larger
Boiling Springs, PA 17007 86%243$117,130$385,600$185 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · older homes
Simpsonville, KY 40067 86%290$97,684$361,100$200 larger
Williamsburg, MI 49690 86%316$108,712$352,200$306 larger
Wales, WI 53183 86%371$108,827$398,700$207 pricier homes ($44K more) · older homes
Cross Plains, WI 53528 86%435$106,823$436,100$232 pricier homes ($82K more) · larger · more renters
Prairie Du Sac, WI 53578 86%443$105,610$347,000$226 larger · more renters
West Salem, WI 54669 86%520$103,194$312,300$168 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
Campton, NH 03223 85%534$118,534$356,400$266 older residents
Greenfield Center, NY 12833 85%416$102,832$345,600$183 larger
Mills River, NC 28759 85%407$107,609$444,300$274 pricier homes ($90K more) · larger · older residents
Ely, IA 52227 85%521$120,230$341,900$196 Very close on everything we compare

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.