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 New Buffalo, MI 49117

New Buffalo: median income $75,114, home value $488,000, $351/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Red Lodge, MT 59068 97%1,149$80,962$438,700$366 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Meredith, NH 03253 94%783$84,719$482,700$354 larger
Arroyo Seco, NM 87514 92%1,068$71,556$545,200$432 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller
Murphys, CA 95247 92%1,791$76,333$537,400$306 pricier homes ($49K more)
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 91%798$94,349$548,600$347 pricier homes ($61K more) · larger
Saint Michaels, MD 21663 90%592$89,775$650,500$438 pricier homes ($163K more)
White Stone, VA 22578 90%620$80,783$441,600$252 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Yachats, OR 97498 89%1,877$67,188$511,500$405 smaller
Lincolnville, ME 04849 88%907$80,377$360,600$329 cheaper homes ($127K less)
Nags Head, NC 27959 88%724$91,264$490,800$424 Very close on everything we compare
Joseph, OR 97846 88%1,535$71,471$383,200$341 cheaper homes ($105K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
La Conner, WA 98257 88%1,786$94,425$506,200$300 Very close on everything we compare
Enfield, NH 03748 87%752$95,089$388,500$290 cheaper homes ($100K less)
Hillsdale, NY 12529 87%678$70,750$384,600$334 cheaper homes ($103K less) · older homes
Idyllwild, CA 92549 87%1,719$73,750$532,300$340 pricier homes ($44K more) · younger residents
Westbrook, CT 06498 86%739$91,202$434,300$328 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · more walkable
Paonia, CO 81428 86%1,114$75,799$432,700$279 cheaper homes ($55K less) · younger residents
Williams Bay, WI 53191 85%107$75,833$414,600$282 cheaper homes ($73K less) · younger residents
Custer, SD 57730 85%855$83,469$378,800$279 cheaper homes ($109K less) · larger
South Yarmouth, MA 02664 84%852$82,125$551,400$474 pricier homes ($63K more) · larger
Camden, ME 04843 84%906$82,344$520,600$375 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · younger residents
Chestertown, NY 12817 84%668$93,393$327,600$316 cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller
Tryon, NC 28782 84%515$72,946$345,200$238 cheaper homes ($143K less) · larger
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 84%226$73,784$432,200$406 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Battle Lake, MN 56515 84%543$73,750$398,500$251 cheaper homes ($90K less)

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.