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 Drummond Island, MI 49726

Drummond Island: median income $67,232, home value $273,200, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lampe, MO 65681 93%823$57,548$214,800$228 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Phelps, WI 54554 92%256$63,750$247,300$289 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Longville, MN 56655 91%502$57,404$335,200$377 pricier homes ($62K more)
Cape Fair, MO 65624 91%818$61,995$237,500$136 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger
Austin, CO 81410 91%1,327$67,826$366,700$213 pricier homes ($94K more)
Lake Tomahawk, WI 54539 90%281$62,841$282,200$246 younger residents
Roach, MO 65787 90%720$62,917$314,500$254 pricier homes ($41K more)
Mercer, WI 54547 89%304$63,500$306,600$296 pricier homes ($33K more)
Sarona, WI 54870 89%387$67,063$296,100$330 younger residents
Townsend, WI 54175 88%240$87,614$270,500$282 Very close on everything we compare
Climax Springs, MO 65324 88%719$52,969$311,300$235 pricier homes ($38K more)
Akeley, MN 56433 87%527$58,889$228,500$185 cheaper homes ($45K less) · younger residents
Lakeside, OR 97449 87%1,968$66,000$316,700$272 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger
Trego, WI 54888 86%390$63,971$240,500$249 cheaper homes ($33K less) · 6 min longer commute
Hackensack, MN 56452 86%516$62,941$352,700$300 pricier homes ($80K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Blue Eye, MO 65611 86%821$59,866$298,100$189 larger
Scroggins, TX 75480 86%1,081$73,920$299,600$170 pricier homes ($26K more) · younger residents
Lakemont, GA 30552 85%777$66,316$354,700$390 pricier homes ($82K more) · larger · younger residents
Conover, WI 54519 85%264$59,628$271,600$271 younger residents · older homes
Bigfork, MN 56628 85%484$61,250$244,700$189 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Mackay, ID 83251 85%1,459$73,482$366,900$286 pricier homes ($94K more) · more renters
Ahwahnee, CA 93601 85%1,930$76,555$434,900$241 pricier homes ($162K more)
Seeley Lake, MT 59868 84%1,406$51,490$391,600$403 pricier homes ($118K more) · larger
Brinnon, WA 98320 84%1,836$55,893$285,200$399 5 min longer commute
Greenville, ME 04441 83%683$64,789$291,900$361 larger · 5 min shorter commute · older 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.