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 Otter Lake, MI 48464

Otter Lake: median income $81,417, home value $206,000, $146/sq ft, 40-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cold Brook, NY 13324 92%424$86,176$179,300$159 cheaper homes ($27K less) · older residents
Spring Run, PA 17262 92%362$87,708$221,800$169 smaller
Ozawkie, KS 66070 91%682$85,714$219,500$136 Very close on everything we compare
Huntsburg, OH 44046 90%167$80,625$222,200$185 younger residents
Robards, KY 42452 89%439$80,069$173,300$183 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Varysburg, NY 14167 87%260$67,132$150,000— cheaper homes ($56K less)
Creal Springs, IL 62922 87%480$74,245$175,100$202 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Burlington, WV 26710 86%356$78,516$212,800$197 7 min shorter commute
Dixon Springs, TN 37057 86%488$78,940$224,200$160 smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Spencer, OH 44275 86%161$93,785$252,400$174 pricier homes ($46K more)
Elizabeth, IN 47117 86%376$86,853$221,700$179 larger · newer homes
Lacona, IA 50139 86%528$72,400$151,600$170 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
Bernard, IA 52032 86%382$88,500$269,000$214 pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller
Floodwood, MN 55736 86%528$65,179$164,500$180 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Mokane, MO 65059 86%540$76,765$246,200— pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller · younger residents
Pleasant Plain, OH 45162 85%274$84,722$216,500$225 Very close on everything we compare
Burt, NY 14028 84%237$89,188$198,900$153 smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Karthaus, PA 16845 84%310$72,770$161,300$174 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
Jumping Branch, WV 25969 84%407$60,250$182,300— Very close on everything we compare
Belleville, WV 26133 84%296$74,917$223,500$125 smaller · newer homes
Foster, KY 41043 84%311$87,695$211,800$160 younger residents · newer homes
Flat Rock, IL 62427 84%371$81,250$160,700— cheaper homes ($45K less) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Eagle Bridge, NY 12057 83%508$68,306$205,700$132 younger residents
Glenfield, NY 13343 83%405$70,478$163,600$236 cheaper homes ($42K less)
West Valley, NY 14171 83%249$75,625$178,800$218 cheaper homes ($27K less) · 8 min shorter commute

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.