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 Wallace, MI 49893

Wallace: median income $63,125, home value $197,600, $135/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Flintstone, MD 21530 93%600$63,542$202,400$137 Very close on everything we compare
Rossburg, OH 45362 92%377$61,687$231,500$152 pricier homes ($34K more)
Bigfork, MN 56628 90%335$61,250$244,700$189 pricier homes ($47K more)
Cape Fair, MO 65624 90%669$61,995$237,500$136 pricier homes ($40K more) · newer homes
Middlesex, NY 14507 89%542$77,273$160,800$169 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Argonne, WI 54511 89%66$66,719$172,700$189 younger residents
Erhard, MN 56534 88%416$70,694$238,300$145 pricier homes ($41K more) · younger residents
Center, MO 63436 88%448$56,808$175,500$120 Very close on everything we compare
Keosauqua, IA 52565 87%385$62,992$149,000$202 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Cassville, WI 53806 87%245$64,076$164,600$199 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Salesville, OH 43778 86%483$65,556$187,500$120 younger residents
Littlefork, MN 56653 86%353$74,583$168,900$119 cheaper homes ($29K less) · younger residents
Frohna, MO 63748 86%538$59,478$177,000$100 Very close on everything we compare
Green Ridge, MO 65332 86%551$66,750$243,500$146 pricier homes ($46K more) · younger residents
Alum Bank, PA 15521 85%575$53,947$209,700$158 younger residents
Transfer, PA 16154 85%453$57,870$167,000$106 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger · younger residents
Genesee, PA 16923 85%538$73,864$173,900— younger residents
Fancy Gap, VA 24328 85%696$56,659$165,100$165 cheaper homes ($33K less) · older residents
Union, WV 24983 85%646$51,667$219,900$126 8 min longer commute
Montrose, IA 52639 85%384$68,625$163,800$103 cheaper homes ($34K less) · younger residents
Porterfield, WI 54159 85%13$69,375$186,100$177 younger residents
Pound, WI 54161 85%30$68,415$190,500$184 larger · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Andalusia, IL 61232 85%310$73,971$186,100$118 younger residents
Centertown, MO 65023 85%523$72,663$221,200$193 younger residents
Ruffs Dale, PA 15679 84%537$77,099$200,000$140 larger · more apartments and townhomes

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.