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 Rogers City, MI 49779

Rogers City: median income $53,465, home value $124,000, $79/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pittsfield, IL 62363 93%536$58,500$118,000$86 Very close on everything we compare
Portage, PA 15946 91%436$55,582$117,000$88 Very close on everything we compare
Sidman, PA 15955 90%435$59,327$111,800$85 smaller
Walton, IN 46994 90%350$56,563$136,200$102 smaller
Wellsburg, WV 26070 89%392$52,359$143,500$92 larger
Havana, IL 62644 89%473$57,689$102,900$82 younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Sodus, NY 14551 88%368$59,167$123,500$128 Very close on everything we compare
Johnstown, PA 15909 88%427$61,016$110,200$107 younger residents
Grafton, WV 26354 88%462$52,742$136,200$107 larger · younger residents
Hurley, WI 54534 88%314$53,468$123,600$121 smaller
Johnston City, IL 62951 88%586$50,657$99,700$97 Very close on everything we compare
Millinocket, ME 04462 87%731$51,527$112,900$135 Very close on everything we compare
Clarendon, PA 16313 87%345$53,947$97,200$76 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Smethport, PA 16749 87%366$72,250$120,100$84 Very close on everything we compare
Park Falls, WI 54552 87%320$61,317$150,700$116 pricier homes ($27K more)
Mount Olive, IL 62069 87%532$59,764$102,700$109 smaller
Winchester, IL 62694 87%523$58,460$102,200$59 smaller · younger residents
Marion, KS 66861 87%834$60,565$150,300$108 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller
Island Falls, ME 04747 86%751$56,795$120,200$111 smaller
Linesville, PA 16424 86%312$56,186$128,500$103 more apartments and townhomes
Wells, MN 56097 86%500$62,264$133,800$91 younger residents
Stockton, IL 61085 86%374$59,798$131,300$111 younger residents
Oakland, IL 61943 86%451$54,196$109,000$71 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Ridgway, PA 15853 85%379$59,344$109,400— younger residents
Windber, PA 15963 85%439$61,566$135,700$92 larger · younger residents

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.