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 Lake Leelanau, MI 49653

Lake Leelanau: median income $85,787, home value $669,800, $386/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Moultonborough, NH 03254 86%713$106,440$641,300$374 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger
Hebron, NH 03241 85%692$91,375$470,700$371 cheaper homes ($199K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Franconia, NH 03580 83%689$91,250$497,100$243 cheaper homes ($173K less)
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 83%70$73,784$432,200$406 cheaper homes ($238K less) · more renters
Arnold, CA 95223 83%1,827$106,694$476,000$289 cheaper homes ($194K less) · larger
Mount Desert, ME 04660 82%856$78,646$480,600$430 cheaper homes ($189K less) · smaller · younger residents
Edisto Island, SC 29438 82%907$86,979$642,400$452 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Nisswa, MN 56468 82%426$100,300$465,800$372 cheaper homes ($204K less) · larger · younger residents
North Garden, VA 22959 81%610$95,461$548,800$414 cheaper homes ($121K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Arroyo Seco, NM 87514 81%1,185$71,556$545,200$432 cheaper homes ($125K less) · 6 min longer commute · more renters
Dennis, MA 02638 80%811$108,726$827,900$478 pricier homes ($158K more) · larger
Eastham, MA 02642 80%818$72,992$732,200$546 pricier homes ($62K more) · larger · older homes
Eastsound, WA 98245 80%1,758$95,811$772,600$590 pricier homes ($103K more) · larger · younger residents
Cotuit, MA 02635 79%802$110,197$683,600$490 larger · 8 min longer commute
Orient, NY 11957 79%728$94,261$973,700$588 pricier homes ($304K more) · smaller · older homes
Nags Head, NC 27959 79%823$91,264$490,800$424 cheaper homes ($179K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Center Harbor, NH 03226 78%709$107,500$462,800$290 cheaper homes ($207K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
South Thomaston, ME 04858 78%819$87,059$341,300$378 cheaper homes ($329K less) · younger residents
Saint Michaels, MD 21663 78%650$89,775$650,500$438 larger · 6 min longer commute · more renters
Presque Isle, WI 54557 77%211$74,432$394,600$332 cheaper homes ($275K less) · smaller · older residents
Genoa, NV 89411 77%1,784$121,981$1,003,200$421 higher income ($36K more) · pricier homes ($333K more)
Lincolnville, ME 04849 76%818$80,377$360,600$329 cheaper homes ($309K less) · larger · younger residents
Oak Island, NC 28465 76%865$86,194$479,500$428 cheaper homes ($190K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Lopez Island, WA 98261 76%1,758$80,119$787,800$760 pricier homes ($118K more) · larger · more renters
Bristol, ME 04539 75%802$96,111$346,900$294 cheaper homes ($323K 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.