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 Alpena, MI 49707

Alpena: median income $51,396, home value $153,700, $122/sq ft, 14-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hibbing, MN 55746 93%480$55,823$134,600$116 Very close on everything we compare
Bryan, OH 43506 92%255$60,234$162,000$132 Very close on everything we compare
Houlton, ME 04730 91%756$61,980$145,200$128 smaller
Caribou, ME 04736 90%750$54,368$139,000$139 smaller
Elkins, WV 26241 90%464$50,538$152,000$119 smaller
Marinette, WI 54143 89%205$64,491$142,900$138 Very close on everything we compare
Nevada, MO 64772 89%753$51,872$158,100$115 smaller · younger residents
Van Wert, OH 45891 88%296$64,272$152,100$133 younger residents
Antigo, WI 54409 88%277$53,576$123,300$133 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
International Falls, MN 56649 88%529$64,736$153,600$103 smaller
Saint Marys, PA 15857 87%353$67,662$150,100$161 smaller
Saint Albans, WV 25177 87%471$55,046$139,900$116 younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Parkersburg, WV 26104 87%413$54,331$170,800$138 6 min longer commute
Bucyrus, OH 44820 87%296$58,223$141,400$132 younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Marietta, OH 45750 87%404$60,229$185,900$133 pricier homes ($32K more) · 5 min longer commute
Two Rivers, WI 54241 87%212$61,014$156,300$146 smaller · 7 min longer commute
Clinton, MO 64735 87%703$58,879$174,700$115 smaller · newer homes
Beatrice, NE 68310 87%751$60,928$168,000$118 smaller · younger residents
Raton, NM 87740 87%1,226$52,815$153,100$114 smaller
Bedford, PA 15522 86%432$57,029$197,200$152 pricier homes ($44K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Marion, VA 24354 86%579$44,502$158,100$119 smaller · 6 min longer commute · more renters
Covington, VA 24426 86%535$55,138$115,500$121 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Beckley, WV 25801 86%517$56,836$158,900$112 younger residents
Clyde, OH 43410 86%262$52,500$164,900$161 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Cambridge, OH 43725 86%362$57,835$164,400$129 6 min longer commute

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.