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 Branch, MI 49402

Branch: median income $51,324, home value $169,800, $239/sq ft, 42-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Great Cacapon, WV 25422 93%498$52,047$173,800$258 Very close on everything we compare
Stahlstown, PA 15687 92%432$54,798$189,500$242 younger residents
Ferguson, NC 28624 91%592$51,836$202,500$258 pricier homes ($33K more) · more renters
Arkdale, WI 54613 90%192$51,528$172,400$232 larger · 6 min shorter commute
Grovespring, MO 65662 89%562$51,339$216,100$212 pricier homes ($46K more)
Trinidad, TX 75163 88%980$60,462$198,200$176 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger
Turners Station, KY 40075 86%375$64,375$164,000$250 Very close on everything we compare
Hancock, WI 54943 86%174$62,500$207,100$250 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger · younger residents
Lonedell, MO 63060 86%465$54,926$179,500$192 larger · younger residents
Pittsburg, MO 65724 86%567$41,447$174,100$279 Very close on everything we compare
Winkelman, AZ 85192 85%1,528$59,922$161,800— 5 min shorter commute
Rock Cave, WV 26234 84%463$61,250$206,500— pricier homes ($37K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Ethelsville, AL 35461 84%736$47,375$174,400— younger residents
Fruitvale, TX 75127 84%939$60,366$216,800$172 pricier homes ($47K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Ivanhoe, VA 24350 83%558$54,219$97,400$208 cheaper homes ($72K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Le Roy, WV 25252 83%419$44,763$176,400$351 younger residents
Baker, WV 26801 83%504$56,429$206,700$238 pricier homes ($37K more) · younger residents
Nunnelly, TN 37137 83%562$55,893$153,800$208 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Jefferson, NY 12093 82%583$65,321$174,800$192 younger residents
Kennerdell, PA 16374 82%369$57,829$128,800$171 cheaper homes ($41K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Grand Marsh, WI 53936 82%183$55,515$137,500$154 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Pine River, WI 54965 82%150$60,625$197,500$170 pricier homes ($28K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Theodosia, MO 65761 82%616$43,000$170,000$189 6 min shorter commute
Nickelsville, VA 24271 81%531$58,625$161,500$166 larger · younger residents
Isle, MN 56342 81%394$63,295$246,500$269 pricier homes ($77K more) · larger · 5 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.