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 Douglas, MI 49406

Douglas: median income $102,500, home value $497,100, $426/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Franconia, NH 03580 79%732$91,250$497,100$243 Very close on everything we compare
Corolla, NC 27927 78%704$120,568$714,700$351 pricier homes ($218K more) · 6 min longer commute
Nags Head, NC 27959 77%733$91,264$490,800$424 larger · 6 min longer commute · more renters
Nathrop, CO 81236 77%1,075$98,170$745,400$452 pricier homes ($248K more) · larger · younger residents
Mount Desert, ME 04660 76%903$78,646$480,600$430 younger residents · more single-family homes · older homes
Nellysford, VA 22958 75%505$98,284$487,500$242 larger · older residents · more renters
Edisto Island, SC 29438 75%768$86,979$642,400$452 pricier homes ($145K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Center Harbor, NH 03226 74%745$107,500$462,800$290 cheaper homes ($34K less) · 8 min longer commute
Arnold, CA 95223 74%1,803$106,694$476,000$289 larger · more single-family homes
South Thomaston, ME 04858 73%862$87,059$341,300$378 cheaper homes ($156K less) · younger residents
Conway, MA 01341 72%686$97,417$396,400$257 cheaper homes ($101K less) · 7 min longer commute · older homes
Hebron, NH 03241 72%727$91,375$470,700$371 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 6 min longer commute
Moultonborough, NH 03254 72%749$106,440$641,300$374 pricier homes ($144K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 72%174$73,784$432,200$406 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger
West Stockbridge, MA 01266 71%653$100,417$563,400$359 pricier homes ($66K more) · 10 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Osterville, MA 02655 71%812$118,750$806,300$571 pricier homes ($309K more) · larger
Yarmouth Port, MA 02675 71%819$110,450$607,900$424 pricier homes ($111K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
New London, NH 03257 71%719$107,000$559,000$346 pricier homes ($62K more) · larger · younger residents
Bristol, ME 04539 71%844$96,111$346,900$294 cheaper homes ($150K less)
Hinesburg, VT 05461 71%667$109,712$460,200$315 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger · younger residents
Egg Harbor, WI 54209 71%173$77,188$386,700$335 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($110K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Nisswa, MN 56468 71%479$100,300$465,800$372 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Genoa, NV 89411 71%1,763$121,981$1,003,200$421 pricier homes ($506K more)
Haydenville, MA 01039 70%687$116,429$423,100$403 cheaper homes ($74K less) · younger residents · 9 min longer commute
Ogunquit, ME 03907 70%789$114,259$875,700$595 pricier homes ($379K more) · 10 min longer commute · older homes

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.