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 Oakland, MI 48363

Oakland: median income $179,375, home value $618,200, $226/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Brookline, NH 03033 95%583$171,046$544,400$245 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Marriottsville, MD 21104 95%403$191,804$680,200$243 pricier homes ($62K more)
Hamel, MN 55340 95%541$178,553$639,100$234 Very close on everything we compare
Jamison, PA 18929 93%452$179,380$627,700$274 Very close on everything we compare
Lincoln University, PA 19352 93%431$165,365$473,200$225 cheaper homes ($145K less) · larger
Dunkirk, MD 20754 92%441$167,371$614,200$220 Very close on everything we compare
Bow, NH 03304 91%588$172,857$506,500$279 cheaper homes ($112K less)
Monrovia, MD 21770 91%389$183,571$632,500$240 6 min longer commute
Galena, OH 43021 91%178$167,941$564,700$220 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger
Sunnyvale, TX 75182 91%1,003$170,348$565,300$208 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Phoenix, AZ 85045 91%1,695$153,583$634,600$280 lower income ($26K less)
Windham, NH 03087 90%601$189,583$723,300$322 pricier homes ($105K more) · larger
Glenmoore, PA 19343 90%426$160,256$567,700$267 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Bucyrus, KS 66013 90%664$164,320$724,500$234 pricier homes ($106K more) · smaller
Auburn, NH 03032 89%598$153,253$600,300$294 lower income ($26K less)
Mickleton, NJ 08056 89%460$171,389$473,400$223 cheaper homes ($145K less)
Chesterfield, NJ 08515 89%478$208,836$560,000$253 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($58K less)
Clarence Center, NY 14032 89%230$168,711$502,100$261 cheaper homes ($116K less) · older residents
Ijamsville, MD 21754 89%388$182,188$647,300$236 pricier homes ($29K more) · 9 min longer commute
Colgate, WI 53017 89%258$153,917$521,700$221 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($97K less)
Colorado Springs, CO 80927 89%1,151$163,803$587,100$210 cheaper homes ($31K less) · younger residents
Mullica Hill, NJ 08062 88%464$157,009$488,100$252 cheaper homes ($130K less) · larger
Venetia, PA 15367 88%236$135,542$544,100$216 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($74K less)
Landenberg, PA 19350 88%436$144,375$533,000$212 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($85K less)
Glencoe, MO 63038 88%487$186,450$580,800$193 cheaper homes ($37K less) · older 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.