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 Carleton, MI 48117

Carleton: median income $78,942, home value $298,100, $185/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Atwater, OH 44201 95%133$79,459$222,400$185 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller
Pardeeville, WI 53954 95%319$83,207$278,600$190 smaller
East Berlin, PA 17316 94%362$90,664$293,200$184 Very close on everything we compare
Gardners, PA 17324 94%351$77,824$254,100$200 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller
Waterford, PA 16441 92%173$81,117$223,900$153 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Duncannon, PA 17020 92%348$73,396$230,900$180 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Halifax, PA 17032 92%354$81,250$226,400$150 cheaper homes ($72K less)
York Springs, PA 17372 92%356$82,313$282,700$158 smaller
Kingston, TN 37763 92%433$81,000$259,000$219 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
Swanton, OH 43558 92%41$74,173$206,300$162 cheaper homes ($92K less)
Grafton, OH 44044 92%87$88,333$257,500$181 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Mantua, OH 44255 92%123$78,099$213,700$194 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Wakeman, OH 44889 92%75$86,500$242,200$187 cheaper homes ($56K less) · 5 min longer commute
Fayetteville, PA 17222 91%339$80,000$255,600$163 cheaper homes ($43K less) · older residents
Pleasant Garden, NC 27313 91%464$80,875$237,300$168 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Mount Pleasant, NC 28124 91%486$80,778$310,500$224 younger residents
Oakboro, NC 28129 91%498$69,906$266,800$209 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Goshen, OH 45122 91%200$83,342$222,100$214 cheaper homes ($76K less) · younger residents
Campbellsport, WI 53010 91%270$95,391$307,000$235 Very close on everything we compare
Pine City, MN 55063 91%541$74,667$253,200$205 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Bovey, MN 55709 91%609$75,652$225,700$168 cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller
Clatskanie, OR 97016 91%1,976$79,375$336,000$232 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller
Butler, PA 16002 90%200$90,305$263,100$188 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger
Shermans Dale, PA 17090 90%343$78,281$260,700$186 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Pine Grove, PA 17963 90%380$79,118$216,500$163 cheaper homes ($82K 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.