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 Sault Sainte Marie, MI 49783

Sault Sainte Marie: median income $60,658, home value $158,800, $156/sq ft, 15-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lima, OH 45805 96%392$68,842$160,600$141 Very close on everything we compare
Marshall, MO 65340 96%676$58,118$156,100$129 Very close on everything we compare
Scottsbluff, NE 69361 96%1,008$58,623$155,100$174 Very close on everything we compare
Tiffin, OH 44883 95%370$62,692$163,600$139 larger
Hannibal, MO 63401 95%585$60,036$152,100$116 Very close on everything we compare
Wichita Falls, TX 76302 95%1,143$59,590$165,800$133 smaller
Waterloo, IA 50701 94%482$61,475$183,800$128 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger
Mount Pleasant, IA 52641 94%523$64,512$171,400$112 smaller
Sikeston, MO 63801 94%712$62,698$156,700$121 Very close on everything we compare
North Platte, NE 69101 94%898$62,268$188,700$149 pricier homes ($30K more)
Union City, TN 38261 93%733$55,876$153,400$129 Very close on everything we compare
Upper Sandusky, OH 43351 93%389$67,606$170,400$148 smaller
Spencer, IA 51301 93%578$63,402$188,300$122 pricier homes ($30K more)
Rice Lake, WI 54868 93%363$64,318$227,800$158 pricier homes ($69K more)
Carthage, MO 64836 93%821$61,335$164,400$141 Very close on everything we compare
Sedalia, MO 65301 93%700$58,064$164,300$142 larger
Ada, OK 74820 93%1,032$62,357$181,400$123 larger
Washington, IN 47501 92%556$62,982$172,800$129 Very close on everything we compare
Davenport, IA 52804 92%461$65,849$156,800$143 6 min longer commute
Wausau, WI 54401 92%280$71,586$196,700$165 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger
Ashland, WI 54806 92%307$64,864$185,800$112 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Mitchell, SD 57301 92%695$65,620$208,200$155 pricier homes ($49K more)
El Dorado, KS 67042 92%874$62,857$141,300$119 Very close on everything we compare
Norfolk, NE 68701 92%716$62,633$214,500$137 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger
Hastings, NE 68901 92%812$66,585$190,100$109 pricier homes ($31K more)

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.