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 Rose City, MI 48654

Rose City: median income $45,202, home value $140,800, $145/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Patten, ME 04765 92%769$50,286$121,400$179 smaller
Pembine, WI 54156 92%205$49,625$129,300$172 smaller
Hopwood, PA 15445 91%388$47,955$179,000$140 pricier homes ($38K more)
Kosse, TX 76653 91%1,130$48,500$150,200$190 smaller
Addison, ME 04606 90%807$50,524$163,500$191 smaller
Westover, MD 21871 90%616$50,524$185,900$189 pricier homes ($45K more)
Gerald, MO 63037 90%560$50,203$177,500$151 pricier homes ($37K more) · younger residents
Friendship, WI 53934 89%283$48,782$166,100$176 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger
Horseshoe Bend, AR 72512 89%695$46,449$130,100$97 Very close on everything we compare
Hartland, ME 04943 88%720$46,141$139,200$113 younger residents
Orbisonia, PA 17243 88%429$42,381$155,400$152 smaller
Hiltons, VA 24258 88%544$44,659$122,000$134 smaller
Everton, AR 72633 88%734$45,385$154,000$138 smaller
Normalville, PA 15469 87%386$56,301$140,100— Very close on everything we compare
Avinger, TX 75630 87%977$49,677$156,300$166 8 min longer commute
Antonito, CO 81120 87%1,249$47,546$188,200$182 pricier homes ($47K more) · younger residents
East Concord, NY 14055 86%305$51,089$203,300$200 pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller
Tionesta, PA 16353 86%313$56,034$121,000$104 Very close on everything we compare
Meadows Of Dan, VA 24120 86%566$46,901$205,200$220 pricier homes ($64K more)
Crab Orchard, WV 25827 86%485$41,198$125,600$135 smaller · younger residents
Goldston, NC 27252 86%662$50,435$171,600$189 pricier homes ($31K more) · smaller
Rich Square, NC 27869 86%667$43,301$115,200$113 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Hays, NC 28635 86%582$44,901$145,900$195 newer homes
Shorter, AL 36075 86%837$53,505$115,700— cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller
Monterey, IN 46960 86%257$45,625$151,000$117 smaller · 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.