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 Brown City, MI 48416

Brown City: median income $66,474, home value $222,000, $116/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Moores Hill, IN 47032 94%304$66,950$245,800$120 smaller
Liverpool, PA 17045 93%358$76,800$230,300$143 Very close on everything we compare
Pleasureville, KY 40057 93%353$77,866$226,700$132 Very close on everything we compare
Lockport, LA 70374 93%1,026$70,833$180,400$131 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Bartlett, TX 76511 93%1,167$69,286$222,900$132 smaller
Birnamwood, WI 54414 92%330$72,500$200,100$138 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Wolfe City, TX 75496 92%981$64,808$200,900$131 smaller
Thompsontown, PA 17094 91%349$66,375$196,100$123 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Trout Run, PA 17771 91%330$71,016$198,000$117 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Delta, OH 43515 91%125$69,536$193,700$148 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Rising Sun, IN 47040 91%310$75,014$199,100$118 Very close on everything we compare
Pierz, MN 56364 91%578$76,638$263,400$146 pricier homes ($41K more)
Avella, PA 15312 90%242$73,542$215,300$137 older homes
Claysville, PA 15323 90%252$78,947$194,400$122 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Casar, NC 28020 90%537$59,978$188,700$115 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller
Melrose, WI 54642 90%407$73,452$210,600$152 smaller
Braham, MN 55006 90%532$69,191$223,200$169 Very close on everything we compare
Iberia, MO 65486 90%601$71,744$163,100$141 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller
Violet, LA 70092 90%995$57,188$166,600$120 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Bowie, TX 76230 90%1,042$66,641$220,600$145 larger
Mc Clure, PA 17841 89%337$63,269$165,700$125 cheaper homes ($56K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Buchanan, VA 24066 89%428$63,333$222,200$136 older residents · 5 min shorter commute
New Castle, VA 24127 89%423$67,620$187,100$177 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Falkville, AL 35622 89%648$66,506$189,500$102 cheaper homes ($33K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Orlinda, TN 37141 89%497$76,250$237,000$117 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.