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 Baraga, MI 49908

Baraga: median income $63,281, home value $130,300, $126/sq ft, 13-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mount Sterling, IL 62353 93%484$66,000$152,100$128 larger
Clarendon, TX 79226 91%1,039$58,031$102,700$133 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Abbotsford, WI 54405 90%152$69,659$177,900$112 pricier homes ($48K more)
Hugoton, KS 67951 90%932$63,527$131,500$103 Very close on everything we compare
Warren, MN 56762 89%395$62,933$160,100$102 pricier homes ($30K more)
New Madrid, MO 63869 89%706$57,959$132,100$108 Very close on everything we compare
Holbrook, AZ 86025 89%1,387$56,919$163,800$147 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger
Princeton, IN 47670 88%586$64,907$158,500$135 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger
Colby, WI 54421 88%155$60,820$194,500$114 pricier homes ($64K more) · 6 min longer commute
Winner, SD 57580 88%597$59,547$133,900$94 older residents
Wolf Point, MT 59201 88%800$53,311$127,100— larger
Milan, MO 63556 88%511$58,851$124,100$107 older residents
Cotulla, TX 78014 88%1,393$66,250$100,000$91 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
Karnes City, TX 78118 88%1,337$60,711$103,700— cheaper homes ($27K less) · 6 min longer commute
West Unity, OH 43570 87%415$68,500$129,600$137 7 min longer commute
Ina, IL 62846 87%598$65,500$103,300$142 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Granite Falls, MN 56241 86%363$66,875$155,600$113 pricier homes ($25K more)
Mahnomen, MN 56557 86%346$57,731$143,800$82 6 min longer commute
Grafton, ND 58237 86%426$70,201$155,500$155 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger · older residents
George West, TX 78022 86%1,377$55,895$171,100$127 pricier homes ($41K more) · 6 min longer commute
Farwell, TX 79325 86%1,140$71,771$163,400— pricier homes ($33K more)
Rangely, CO 81648 86%1,112$71,705$199,300$117 pricier homes ($69K more)
Marienville, PA 16239 85%596$52,121$107,400$100 5 min longer commute
Byesville, OH 43723 85%589$51,474$110,800$116 Very close on everything we compare
Evansdale, IA 50707 85%350$63,441$153,700$128 larger

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.