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 Bellaire, MI 49615

Bellaire: median income $79,469, home value $292,300, $251/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lakeside Marblehead, OH 43440 92%268$74,818$297,100$317 Very close on everything we compare
Chestertown, NY 12817 91%572$93,393$327,600$316 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller
Enfield, NH 03748 90%654$95,089$388,500$290 pricier homes ($96K more)
Lincolnville, ME 04849 90%794$80,377$360,600$329 pricier homes ($68K more)
Landisville, PA 17538 90%561$86,719$299,300$188 larger
Chattanooga, TN 37419 90%687$74,787$351,800$245 pricier homes ($60K more)
Green Lake, WI 54941 90%201$79,146$276,000$239 smaller
Galena, IL 61036 90%314$81,989$279,000$178 larger
Thornton, NH 03285 89%673$90,022$351,900$254 pricier homes ($60K more) · younger residents
Wiscasset, ME 04578 89%768$81,063$327,400$234 pricier homes ($35K more) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 89%685$71,383$341,400$248 pricier homes ($49K more) · larger · younger residents
Elkhart Lake, WI 53020 89%157$89,155$330,900$248 pricier homes ($39K more)
Spring Green, WI 53588 89%270$83,417$292,300$232 Very close on everything we compare
Woodruff, WI 54568 89%226$72,589$281,000$223 younger residents
Bethlehem, NH 03574 88%667$81,250$288,300$191 smaller · younger residents
Putney, VT 05346 88%645$79,118$320,800$202 pricier homes ($29K more) · younger residents
Eagle River, WI 54521 88%206$74,071$305,100$257 larger
Rock Hall, MD 21661 87%612$90,492$283,200$304 smaller
Custer, SD 57730 87%902$83,469$378,800$279 pricier homes ($87K more) · 6 min longer commute
Lanesborough, MA 01237 86%622$90,898$303,700$274 smaller
White Stone, VA 22578 86%681$80,783$441,600$252 pricier homes ($149K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Tryon, NC 28782 86%693$72,946$345,200$238 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Minocqua, WI 54548 86%228$69,569$336,400$288 pricier homes ($44K more) · more renters
Nevis, MN 56467 86%481$74,297$318,000$263 pricier homes ($26K more)
Cornish, NH 03745 85%645$91,821$296,000$292 smaller

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.