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 Elk Rapids, MI 49629

Elk Rapids: median income $65,302, home value $394,600, $333/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Chincoteague Island, VA 23336 88%708$63,464$346,700$288 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger · newer homes
Ludlow, VT 05149 87%638$64,191$365,300$300 cheaper homes ($29K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Joseph, OR 97846 87%1,541$71,471$383,200$341 newer homes
Hillsdale, NY 12529 85%622$70,750$384,600$334 more single-family homes
Philipsburg, MT 59858 85%1,345$56,719$380,000$316 newer homes
Crawford, CO 81415 85%1,217$59,141$330,900$333 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Red Lodge, MT 59068 84%1,161$80,962$438,700$366 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Yachats, OR 97498 83%1,885$67,188$511,500$405 pricier homes ($117K more) · 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538 82%781$56,500$388,100$354 older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Vinalhaven, ME 04863 82%818$72,963$428,400$319 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller · older residents
Lakeside Marblehead, OH 43440 81%268$74,818$297,100$317 cheaper homes ($98K less) · larger · more homeowners
Saint Regis, MT 59866 81%1,427$73,462$343,700$304 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller · younger residents
Arroyo Seco, NM 87514 81%1,198$71,556$545,200$432 pricier homes ($151K more) · 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Tamworth, NH 03886 80%701$74,450$368,200$274 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 6 min longer commute
Belfast, ME 04915 80%805$66,362$308,700$271 cheaper homes ($86K less) · larger
Cooperstown, NY 13326 80%544$80,040$340,100$240 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger · older homes
Okoboji, IA 51355 80%493$72,262$421,100$340 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Rockaway Beach, OR 97136 80%1,857$66,106$375,000$372 newer homes
Lee, MA 01238 79%634$84,591$355,700$297 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger · more walkable
Damariscotta, ME 04543 79%785$59,423$363,500$431 cheaper homes ($31K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Green Lake, WI 54941 79%190$79,146$276,000$239 cheaper homes ($119K less) · 5 min longer commute
Lincoln, MT 59639 79%1,311$57,778$371,700$418 smaller · newer homes
Murphys, CA 95247 79%1,857$76,333$537,400$306 pricier homes ($143K more) · larger · newer homes
South Royalton, VT 05068 78%640$80,911$298,600$226 cheaper homes ($96K less) · younger residents
Cape Charles, VA 23310 78%719$62,500$377,300$318 larger · more renters · newer 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.