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 Brutus, MI 49716

Brutus: median income $100,179, home value $307,100, $439/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Agency, MO 64401 90%647$99,398$271,900— cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger
Cuttingsville, VT 05738 89%600$95,000$331,900— older homes
Hickman, TN 38567 88%651$100,368$340,500— pricier homes ($33K more) · more renters
Edgecomb, ME 04556 87%749$108,750$348,400$296 pricier homes ($41K more)
Hope, ME 04847 87%767$86,766$373,400$368 pricier homes ($66K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Oldenburg, IN 47036 87%424$98,300$413,700— pricier homes ($107K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Runnells, IA 50237 87%513$101,806$346,900$300 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
Madison, NH 03849 85%677$96,439$390,100$289 pricier homes ($83K more)
Searsmont, ME 04973 85%762$87,000$284,000$292 larger
Cushing, ME 04563 84%765$83,500$409,800$376 pricier homes ($103K more) · older residents
Franklin, VT 05457 84%577$96,875$279,200$297 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger · more renters
Prole, IA 50229 84%533$123,164$416,700— pricier homes ($110K more) · larger
Easton, MO 64443 84%641$86,042$300,000— more renters
Martell, NE 68404 84%691$112,643$313,100$312 older homes
Barnstead, NH 03218 83%680$112,500$346,900$335 pricier homes ($40K more) · 6 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Elkhart, IA 50073 83%508$100,972$274,700$264 cheaper homes ($32K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Wilson, WI 54027 83%364$100,750$325,900$316 5 min longer commute
Center Tuftonboro, NH 03816 82%675$88,971$426,700$300 pricier homes ($120K more) · larger
Palermo, ME 04354 82%752$89,095$259,700$253 cheaper homes ($47K less) · 5 min longer commute
Clinton, MT 59825 82%1,381$90,192$369,900$513 pricier homes ($63K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Denton, NE 68339 82%692$101,146$444,700$272 pricier homes ($138K more)
Center Barnstead, NH 03225 81%682$111,660$368,400$327 pricier homes ($61K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
New Durham, NH 03855 81%685$100,194$339,400$450 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Modena, NY 12548 81%595$132,083$428,800— higher income ($32K more) · pricier homes ($122K more) · more renters
Lake Park, MN 56554 81%549$94,792$376,400$307 pricier homes ($69K more) · larger · 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.