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 Watersmeet, MI 49969

Watersmeet: median income $67,188, home value $247,300, $364/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Goshen, NH 03752 91%861$70,417$255,600$332 younger residents
Phelps, WI 54554 91%14$63,750$247,300$289 Very close on everything we compare
Cook, MN 55723 91%198$64,526$189,700$307 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger
Roach, MO 65787 85%594$62,917$314,500$254 pricier homes ($67K more)
Stone Lake, WI 54876 84%114$72,794$282,100$340 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger · younger residents
Trego, WI 54888 84%129$63,971$240,500$249 6 min longer commute
Conover, WI 54519 83%15$59,628$271,600$271 Very close on everything we compare
Longville, MN 56655 83%242$57,404$335,200$377 pricier homes ($88K more) · newer homes
East Meredith, NY 13757 82%754$73,523$225,000$346 Very close on everything we compare
Delhi, IA 52223 82%284$89,250$204,000$242 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Lake Tomahawk, WI 54539 82%36$62,841$282,200$246 pricier homes ($35K more)
Minong, WI 54859 82%127$55,882$225,300$336 larger
Sarona, WI 54870 82%128$67,063$296,100$330 pricier homes ($49K more) · larger · more walkable
Holcombe, WI 54745 81%116$67,891$255,200$252 larger · 6 min longer commute
Backus, MN 56435 81%250$62,381$256,800$273 larger · younger residents
Climax Springs, MO 65324 81%592$52,969$311,300$235 pricier homes ($64K more)
Easton, KS 66020 81%563$78,594$320,100— pricier homes ($73K more) · larger · younger residents
Kingston, ID 83839 81%1,275$63,889$384,400$257 pricier homes ($137K more) · younger residents
Pittsburg, NH 03592 80%864$61,094$279,500$293 pricier homes ($32K more) · 10 min longer commute
Deerbrook, WI 54424 80%70$77,500$229,700$223 larger · younger residents
Mercer, WI 54547 80%41$63,500$306,600$296 pricier homes ($59K more) · larger
Mason, WI 54856 80%93$76,500$193,800$221 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · younger residents
Lampe, MO 65681 80%704$57,548$214,800$228 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Lowell, OH 45744 79%605$69,148$201,500$446 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger · older homes
Harshaw, WI 54529 79%45$72,000$268,100$311 younger residents · 9 min longer commute

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.