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 Hartford, WI 53027

Hartford: median income $91,150, home value $332,500, $222/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Decatur, TX 76234 96%856$93,727$344,700$199 Very close on everything we compare
Lebanon, OH 45036 95%346$99,128$352,200$212 larger
Buffalo, MN 55313 95%301$92,455$345,300$185 Very close on everything we compare
Dillsburg, PA 17019 94%625$94,423$299,300$196 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Honey Brook, PA 19344 94%681$86,890$321,100$211 smaller
Elkton, MD 21921 94%696$85,775$330,400$190 larger
Mount Holly, NC 28120 94%677$78,231$321,500$210 Very close on everything we compare
Goodlettsville, TN 37072 94%490$78,123$378,100$221 pricier homes ($46K more)
Old Hickory, TN 37138 94%498$85,149$363,000$233 pricier homes ($31K more)
Heath, OH 43056 94%384$80,014$253,900$193 cheaper homes ($79K less)
New Baltimore, MI 48047 94%286$94,890$321,700$185 larger
Forest Lake, MN 55025 94%265$98,382$405,000$201 pricier homes ($73K more)
Hastings, MN 55033 94%243$103,988$358,700$187 pricier homes ($26K more)
Lindale, TX 75771 94%839$93,462$301,600$173 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Cottonwood, CA 96022 94%1,748$89,338$366,700$261 pricier homes ($34K more)
Powell, TN 37849 93%553$84,275$290,900$211 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Seymour, TN 37865 93%570$88,231$312,600$216 Very close on everything we compare
Brunswick, OH 44212 93%364$91,441$264,000$202 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger
Cleves, OH 45002 93%342$81,229$310,900$190 Very close on everything we compare
Chesterton, IN 46304 93%136$91,326$293,100$172 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Flat Rock, MI 48134 93%272$92,076$276,100$183 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Cambridge, MN 55008 93%288$84,513$290,700$181 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Fort Worth, TX 76118 93%870$94,530$326,400$195 Very close on everything we compare
Chehalis, WA 98532 93%1,693$89,910$427,100$286 pricier homes ($95K more)
Greencastle, PA 17225 92%601$88,457$304,100$171 cheaper homes ($28K less)

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.