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 Union, MI 49130

Union: median income $76,667, home value $341,900, $245/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Wallowa, OR 97885 94%1,594$76,645$402,900$234 pricier homes ($61K more)
Brant Lake, NY 12815 93%629$76,302$287,500$299 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Bernardston, MA 01337 91%681$85,045$338,800$233 larger
Stoddard, WI 54658 89%301$73,438$249,800$216 cheaper homes ($92K less) · larger
Bois D Arc, MO 65612 89%517$78,047$241,100$201 cheaper homes ($101K less) · larger
Cascade Locks, OR 97014 89%1,803$75,000$387,700$246 pricier homes ($46K more)
Hinsdale, MA 01235 88%656$79,327$267,500$280 cheaper homes ($74K less) · larger
Lisbon, NH 03585 88%724$68,594$233,700$250 cheaper homes ($108K less) · larger
East New Market, MD 21631 88%567$73,864$306,700$198 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger · newer homes
Turtle Lake, WI 54889 88%404$77,143$257,100$288 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger
Bonnots Mill, MO 65016 88%391$78,750$269,400— cheaper homes ($73K less) · 5 min longer commute
Lenhartsville, PA 19534 87%526$80,357$293,100$204 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Big Island, VA 24526 87%452$85,729$241,200$232 cheaper homes ($101K less) · 7 min longer commute
Deer Park, WI 54007 87%401$85,398$309,400— cheaper homes ($33K less) · 7 min longer commute
Valders, WI 54245 87%187$85,302$226,700$227 cheaper homes ($115K less) · larger
Cleveland, MN 56017 87%439$88,056$330,900$211 6 min longer commute
Big Timber, MT 59011 87%1,229$78,000$328,100$211 larger · more walkable
Joliet, MT 59041 87%1,181$80,500$411,700$189 pricier homes ($70K more) · larger
Easton, KS 66020 87%514$78,594$320,100— older residents
Tuolumne, CA 95379 87%1,830$74,230$416,000$266 pricier homes ($74K more) · larger
Wilbur, WA 99185 87%1,650$73,094$248,100$231 cheaper homes ($94K less)
Bridport, VT 05734 86%650$81,250$358,600$329 5 min longer commute
Mathews, VA 23109 86%587$79,196$310,800$187 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Saint Cloud, WI 53079 86%183$86,667$260,000$181 cheaper homes ($82K less) · 5 min longer commute
Endeavor, WI 53930 86%226$72,778$224,200$182 cheaper homes ($118K 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.