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 Free Soil, MI 49411

Free Soil: median income $61,857, home value $239,400, $235/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Neshkoro, WI 54960 94%148$66,625$233,900$262 larger
Rock Cave, WV 26234 92%480$61,250$206,500— cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller
Hancock, WI 54943 92%162$62,500$207,100$250 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Pine River, WI 54965 91%138$60,625$197,500$170 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Jefferson, NY 12093 90%596$65,321$174,800$192 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Andreas, PA 18211 90%580$78,806$240,400$243 Very close on everything we compare
Gordon, WI 54838 90%307$74,318$250,000$313 Very close on everything we compare
Isle, MN 56342 90%379$63,295$246,500$269 larger
Saint Albans, ME 04971 89%831$65,600$194,000$244 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Hadley, NY 12835 89%622$66,992$224,100$282 larger
Stahlstown, PA 15687 89%448$54,798$189,500$242 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Greentown, PA 18426 89%589$63,219$272,300$218 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger
Dinwiddie, VA 23841 89%666$70,670$247,900$256 larger · younger residents
Finlayson, MN 55735 89%356$63,827$271,200$284 pricier homes ($32K more)
Orland, ME 04472 88%865$69,022$275,300$295 pricier homes ($36K more) · younger residents
Great Cacapon, WV 25422 88%514$52,047$173,800$258 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Liberty, TN 37095 88%560$64,792$189,200$212 cheaper homes ($50K less) · more renters
Jefferson, NH 03583 87%732$67,188$296,700$196 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller
Waterford, ME 04088 87%770$63,750$276,800$329 pricier homes ($37K more)
James Creek, PA 16657 87%488$63,353$214,500$164 Very close on everything we compare
Cunningham, TN 37052 87%538$69,423$224,300$211 younger residents · newer homes
Winter, WI 54896 87%261$61,080$195,400$307 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Orr, MN 55771 87%421$67,667$169,100$260 cheaper homes ($70K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Shingletown, CA 96088 87%1,823$65,958$292,000$202 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger
Gouldsboro, ME 04607 86%897$60,152$253,400$270 more renters

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.