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 Manistique, MI 49854

Manistique: median income $55,944, home value $125,400, $109/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pittsfield, IL 62363 90%499$58,500$118,000$86 Very close on everything we compare
Johnston City, IL 62951 90%582$50,657$99,700$97 cheaper homes ($26K less)
International Falls, MN 56649 89%380$64,736$153,600$103 pricier homes ($28K more) · younger residents
Baileyville, ME 04694 88%909$65,417$130,000$133 smaller
Hurley, WI 54534 87%191$53,468$123,600$121 smaller · older homes
Brookfield, MO 64628 87%551$59,361$123,500$110 younger residents
Sodus, NY 14551 86%492$59,167$123,500$128 6 min longer commute
Coudersport, PA 16915 86%506$61,781$181,800$130 pricier homes ($56K more)
Rushville, IL 62681 86%461$65,889$111,900$134 younger residents
Ogallala, NE 69153 86%842$61,946$163,000$111 pricier homes ($38K more) · younger residents · more renters
Niagara, WI 54151 85%87$69,511$140,100$129 smaller · younger residents
Park Falls, WI 54552 85%200$61,317$150,700$116 pricier homes ($25K more) · 9 min longer commute
Iuka, MS 38852 84%780$52,942$150,400$134 pricier homes ($25K more) · younger residents
Phillips, WI 54555 84%201$59,025$186,900$153 pricier homes ($62K more)
East Dubuque, IL 61025 84%325$70,739$197,800$126 pricier homes ($72K more)
Fulton, IL 61252 84%346$59,861$141,500$88 younger residents
Caribou, ME 04736 83%868$54,368$139,000$139 more apartments and townhomes
Clinton, KY 42031 83%660$57,097$118,700$84 smaller · more renters
Langdon, ND 58249 83%597$64,571$148,500$94 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Conklin, NY 13748 82%586$62,125$122,900$121 smaller · older homes
Saint Marys, PA 15857 82%498$67,662$150,100$161 larger
West Middlesex, PA 16159 82%442$69,391$178,000— pricier homes ($53K more)
Catlettsburg, KY 41129 82%558$60,885$151,500$111 pricier homes ($26K more) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Mineral Ridge, OH 44440 82%435$64,904$167,800$156 pricier homes ($42K more) · younger residents
Madison, MN 56256 82%485$65,521$124,200$119 smaller · 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.