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.

Reset

Towns most like Ortonville, MI 48462

Ortonville: median income $105,699, home value $343,600, $193/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lebanon, CT 06249 93%578$109,135$345,900$216 smaller
Vincentown, NJ 08088 93%498$110,000$373,000$243 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger
Barto, PA 19504 93%440$98,859$388,300$225 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller
Wolcott, CT 06716 92%541$111,225$325,300$236 Very close on everything we compare
New Freedom, PA 17349 91%410$120,618$368,900$185 pricier homes ($25K more) · smaller
Auburn, PA 17922 91%407$99,260$257,100$163 cheaper homes ($87K less) · smaller
Boonsboro, MD 21713 91%375$96,199$369,200$207 pricier homes ($26K more)
Spring Grove, IL 60081 91%245$116,706$355,300$213 newer homes
Weare, NH 03281 90%593$118,271$396,300$242 pricier homes ($53K more)
Bernville, PA 19506 90%411$106,422$341,900$192 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Manchester, MD 21102 90%404$135,069$392,800$211 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($49K more)
Earleville, MD 21919 90%455$106,500$373,200$224 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller
Wyoming, MN 55092 90%503$95,337$363,900$206 Very close on everything we compare
Clear Lake, MN 55319 90%553$111,607$383,200$216 pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller
Canterbury, CT 06331 89%589$103,198$334,200$243 smaller
Oakdale, CT 06370 89%583$105,700$332,500$231 smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Blairstown, NJ 07825 89%454$123,785$423,400$258 pricier homes ($80K more)
Columbia, NJ 07832 89%450$106,424$355,200$237 smaller
Cochranville, PA 19330 89%440$109,779$387,100$223 pricier homes ($44K more) · smaller
Hampstead, MD 21074 89%407$108,536$378,100$217 pricier homes ($35K more)
Bahama, NC 27503 89%521$114,425$406,700$203 pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller
Centerburg, OH 43011 89%181$90,121$315,600$205 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Foster, RI 02825 88%602$112,593$445,600$272 pricier homes ($102K more) · smaller
Felton, PA 17322 88%411$103,152$261,600$185 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller
New Tripoli, PA 18066 88%424$109,115$328,400$191 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.