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 Spring Lake, MI 49456

Spring Lake: median income $92,672, home value $340,200, $248/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Queensbury, NY 12804 95%630$89,127$311,400$248 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Twinsburg, OH 44087 94%271$99,270$320,400$199 Very close on everything we compare
Germantown, WI 53022 94%97$100,890$373,400$219 pricier homes ($33K more)
Stoughton, WI 53589 94%154$96,226$341,000$241 Very close on everything we compare
Topsham, ME 04086 93%815$91,028$360,800$296 smaller
Yorktown, VA 23692 93%656$109,066$417,200$222 pricier homes ($77K more)
New Berlin, WI 53151 93%96$101,176$371,200$231 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger
Rapid City, SD 57702 93%861$91,457$389,700$218 pricier homes ($50K more) · larger
Gansevoort, NY 12831 92%629$100,024$343,100$264 Very close on everything we compare
Muskego, WI 53150 92%98$109,276$416,400$250 pricier homes ($76K more)
Clarence, NY 14031 91%383$103,750$343,700$249 smaller · older residents
Weaverville, NC 28787 91%545$78,604$401,700$266 pricier homes ($62K more)
Hendersonville, NC 28791 91%570$78,827$370,700$236 pricier homes ($31K more) · older residents
Broadview Heights, OH 44147 91%262$103,125$316,700$200 Very close on everything we compare
Hartland, WI 53029 91%109$108,152$478,700$250 pricier homes ($139K more)
Oregon, WI 53575 91%162$107,885$432,800$230 pricier homes ($93K more)
Ballston Lake, NY 12019 90%623$112,420$400,400$271 pricier homes ($60K more)
Lancaster, NY 14086 90%381$99,499$294,300$249 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Easton, MD 21601 90%606$83,680$376,400$232 pricier homes ($36K more) · more renters
Savannah, GA 31410 90%816$97,807$407,700$259 pricier homes ($68K more)
Gainesville, FL 32653 90%944$93,913$301,700$197 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Cincinnati, OH 45247 90%279$94,603$288,400$170 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Franklin, WI 53132 90%93$109,850$367,500$223 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger
Saint Paul, MN 55110 90%366$101,296$360,500$217 larger
Vineland, NJ 08361 89%634$99,050$285,900$207 cheaper homes ($54K 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.