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 Empire, MI 49630

Empire: median income $106,375, home value $497,600, $336/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Corolla, NC 27927 86%793$120,568$714,700$351 pricier homes ($217K more)
Center Harbor, NH 03226 84%722$107,500$462,800$290 cheaper homes ($35K less) · older homes
Edisto Island, SC 29438 84%901$86,979$642,400$452 pricier homes ($145K more) · larger
Freeland, WA 98249 84%1,739$99,519$627,400$404 pricier homes ($130K more) · larger · younger residents
Union Hall, VA 24176 83%631$98,250$627,000$332 pricier homes ($129K more) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Round Top, TX 78954 83%1,176$103,750$427,300$399 cheaper homes ($70K less) · younger residents
Sonoita, AZ 85637 83%1,605$99,688$467,100$280 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Placitas, NM 87043 83%1,263$109,750$562,100$294 pricier homes ($65K more) · larger
Kure Beach, NC 28449 81%862$107,563$759,700$410 pricier homes ($262K more) · larger · younger residents
Langley, WA 98260 81%1,734$101,987$678,400$487 pricier homes ($181K more) · larger
Port Ludlow, WA 98365 81%1,746$98,776$673,800$355 pricier homes ($176K more) · larger
Salem, SC 29676 80%705$92,798$416,800$270 cheaper homes ($81K less) · larger
Wilmot, NH 03287 79%704$117,759$399,600$300 cheaper homes ($98K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Franconia, NH 03580 79%702$91,250$497,100$243 younger residents · 6 min shorter commute · older homes
La Conner, WA 98257 79%1,735$94,425$506,200$300 larger · older homes
Newbury, NH 03255 78%701$117,045$465,000$416 cheaper homes ($33K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Harpswell, ME 04079 78%793$91,969$612,400$500 pricier homes ($115K more) · larger · older homes
Nags Head, NC 27959 78%823$91,264$490,800$424 larger · younger residents · more walkable
Fontana, WI 53125 77%203$112,500$593,800$434 pricier homes ($96K more) · younger residents · older homes
Angel Fire, NM 87710 77%1,161$83,125$569,200$280 pricier homes ($72K more) · more renters
Leverett, MA 01054 76%693$104,688$435,500$316 cheaper homes ($62K less) · younger residents · older homes
West Stockbridge, MA 01266 76%654$100,417$563,400$359 pricier homes ($66K more) · younger residents · older homes
Moultonborough, NH 03254 76%726$106,440$641,300$374 pricier homes ($144K more) · larger · younger residents
Wayne, ME 04284 76%783$93,194$362,800$269 cheaper homes ($135K less) · younger residents · older homes
White Stone, VA 22578 76%701$80,783$441,600$252 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger

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.