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 Ontonagon, MI 49953

Ontonagon: median income $59,375, home value $119,800, $147/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Stratford, IA 50249 92%386$60,761$119,000$207 smaller
Dunlap, IA 51529 91%462$61,599$156,800$115 pricier homes ($37K more)
Aurora, MN 55705 91%144$56,208$124,100$129 Very close on everything we compare
Millinocket, ME 04462 90%987$51,527$112,900$135 larger
Sodus, NY 14551 90%649$59,167$123,500$128 larger
Pleasantville, PA 16341 88%604$61,818$121,800$148 younger residents
Lowellville, OH 44436 88%592$69,514$143,700$125 younger residents
Mount Olive, IL 62069 88%536$59,764$102,700$109 younger residents
Rising Star, TX 76471 88%1,136$54,773$141,700$142 smaller · younger residents
Normalville, PA 15469 87%683$56,301$140,100— newer homes
East Freedom, PA 16637 87%706$56,083$120,400$164 Very close on everything we compare
Keosauqua, IA 52565 87%440$62,992$149,000$202 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller · newer homes
Park Falls, WI 54552 87%80$61,317$150,700$116 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · newer homes
Tarkio, MO 64491 87%534$57,500$91,300$126 cheaper homes ($29K less) · younger residents
Patten, ME 04765 86%993$50,286$121,400$179 smaller · newer homes
Linton, ND 58552 86%519$65,515$122,000$98 smaller
Findlay, IL 62534 86%506$68,750$125,200$116 smaller
Island Falls, ME 04747 85%1,003$56,795$120,200$111 smaller · younger residents
Polk, PA 16342 85%600$63,750$114,700$123 younger residents · newer homes
Barton, MD 21521 85%723$64,194$107,500$119 smaller
Walton, IN 46994 85%452$56,563$136,200$102 younger residents
Hurley, WI 54534 85%48$53,468$123,600$121 younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Dewey, OK 74029 85%771$57,821$151,400$118 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger · younger residents
Sterling, NY 13156 84%663$64,063$162,500$168 pricier homes ($43K more)
Lyons Falls, NY 13368 84%715$62,159$128,700$147 smaller · younger residents

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.