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 Roscommon, MI 48653

Roscommon: median income $65,913, home value $170,700, $172/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Tomahawk, WI 54487 91%257$72,416$227,700$222 pricier homes ($57K more)
Florence, WI 54121 90%199$58,750$189,600$194 smaller
Nekoosa, WI 54457 89%258$71,083$178,200$200 7 min longer commute
Phillips, WI 54555 87%292$59,025$186,900$153 smaller · younger residents
Pennellville, NY 13132 86%428$72,473$197,200$208 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Washington, WV 26181 86%396$73,977$197,700$147 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller · younger residents
Spooner, WI 54801 86%366$62,625$216,500$210 pricier homes ($46K more) · smaller · more renters
Wautoma, WI 54982 86%230$64,201$203,100$209 pricier homes ($32K more) · younger residents
Aitkin, MN 56431 86%456$67,828$295,400$213 pricier homes ($125K more)
Crivitz, WI 54114 85%176$59,217$180,200$204 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Gilbert, MN 55741 85%425$69,545$164,500$155 smaller · younger residents
Palacios, TX 77465 85%1,261$64,666$177,200$183 younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Bloomingdale, OH 43910 84%345$71,396$181,600$153 smaller · younger residents
East Dubuque, IL 61025 84%328$70,739$197,800$126 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller · younger residents
Windsor, NY 13865 83%483$73,623$177,900$138 smaller · younger residents
Bloomfield, NY 14469 83%376$74,521$204,400$182 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller · younger residents
Gouldsboro, PA 18424 83%514$61,315$195,500$201 smaller · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
State Road, NC 28676 83%597$60,833$242,600$191 pricier homes ($72K more) · smaller
Fall Branch, TN 37656 83%568$63,617$236,600$194 pricier homes ($66K more) · smaller · younger residents
Waterford, OH 45786 83%376$70,917$218,500$140 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller · younger residents
Dauphin, PA 17018 82%485$72,188$238,700$170 pricier homes ($68K more) · smaller · younger residents
Cogan Station, PA 17728 82%442$77,165$235,500$172 pricier homes ($65K more) · smaller · younger residents
Newland, NC 28657 82%600$59,702$240,300$249 pricier homes ($70K more) · younger residents
Valdese, NC 28690 82%625$67,000$211,300$219 pricier homes ($41K more) · younger residents
Fremont, IN 46737 82%191$74,975$199,200$240 pricier homes ($29K more) · younger 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.