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 Germfask, MI 49836

Germfask: median income $85,500, home value $210,100, $254/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Gleason, WI 54435 94%182$83,125$217,600$229 larger
Mason, WI 54856 93%249$76,500$193,800$221 larger
Brownsville, MN 55919 93%317$77,917$223,300$260 younger residents
Delhi, IA 52223 92%375$89,250$204,000$242 6 min shorter commute
East Nassau, NY 12062 91%663$87,679$249,600$217 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
Margaretville, NY 12455 91%625$85,926$255,100$264 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger
Deerbrook, WI 54424 91%172$77,500$229,700$223 larger
Birchwood, WI 54817 91%275$83,036$275,000$229 pricier homes ($65K more) · larger
Earlton, NY 12058 90%651$85,469$273,500— pricier homes ($63K more)
Vermontville, NY 12989 90%588$84,464$228,400$199 older homes
Frankford, WV 24938 90%642$77,946$174,700$234 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Ridgeway, WI 53582 90%300$89,107$266,400$219 pricier homes ($56K more) · younger residents
Harshaw, WI 54529 90%183$72,000$268,100$311 pricier homes ($58K more)
Pepin, WI 54759 90%326$80,750$225,400$194 Very close on everything we compare
Dent, MN 56528 90%470$79,500$319,300$248 pricier homes ($109K more) · larger
Bonnots Mill, MO 65016 90%613$78,750$269,400— pricier homes ($59K more)
Westmoreland, KS 66549 90%711$79,318$202,300$237 larger · younger residents
Penn Run, PA 15765 89%520$73,646$186,000— Very close on everything we compare
Dellroy, OH 44620 89%456$76,827$235,200$184 pricier homes ($25K more)
Trego, WI 54888 89%285$63,971$240,500$249 pricier homes ($30K more)
Centertown, MO 65023 89%620$72,663$221,200$193 larger
Waterboro, ME 04087 88%764$98,105$247,300$299 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger · younger residents
Dalmatia, PA 17017 88%595$82,396$216,600$212 more renters · older homes
Ivanhoe, NC 28447 88%897$77,134$241,300— pricier homes ($31K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Rosendale, WI 54974 88%215$97,222$263,600$172 pricier homes ($54K 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.