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 Harbor Springs, MI 49740

Harbor Springs: median income $89,250, home value $363,500, $312/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lincolnville, ME 04849 95%782$80,377$360,600$329 smaller
Enfield, NH 03748 93%647$95,089$388,500$290 pricier homes ($25K more) · smaller
Seneca, SC 29672 92%751$90,650$482,100$271 pricier homes ($119K more) · larger
Chestertown, NY 12817 90%566$93,393$327,600$316 cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller
Fairview, NC 28730 90%704$102,900$433,300$267 pricier homes ($70K more)
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 89%692$94,349$548,600$347 pricier homes ($185K more)
Hendersonville, NC 28791 89%715$78,827$370,700$236 larger
Nisswa, MN 56468 89%451$100,300$465,800$372 pricier homes ($102K more) · smaller
Thornton, NH 03285 88%665$90,022$351,900$254 smaller · younger residents
Clarence, NY 14031 88%362$103,750$343,700$249 Very close on everything we compare
Afton, VA 22920 88%611$88,028$410,000$311 pricier homes ($47K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 88%720$71,383$341,400$248 Very close on everything we compare
Chattanooga, TN 37419 88%725$74,787$351,800$245 Very close on everything we compare
Eliot, ME 03903 87%721$101,522$498,900$363 pricier homes ($135K more) · younger residents
Landisville, PA 17538 87%574$86,719$299,300$188 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Custer, SD 57730 87%913$83,469$378,800$279 5 min longer commute
Meredith, NH 03253 86%677$84,719$482,700$354 pricier homes ($119K more) · 5 min longer commute · more renters
Wiscasset, ME 04578 86%758$81,063$327,400$234 cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller
Berlin, MD 21811 86%707$90,082$388,900$265 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger
White Stone, VA 22578 86%701$80,783$441,600$252 pricier homes ($78K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Hendersonville, NC 28739 86%717$73,582$394,900$273 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 86%1,271$84,270$486,000$342 pricier homes ($123K more) · larger · newer homes
La Conner, WA 98257 86%1,763$94,425$506,200$300 pricier homes ($143K more) · smaller · older residents
Dagsboro, DE 19939 85%695$89,806$420,700$245 pricier homes ($57K more) · newer homes
Oak Island, NC 28465 85%881$86,194$479,500$428 pricier homes ($116K more) · older residents · newer 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.