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 Fontana, WI 53125

Fontana: median income $112,500, home value $593,800, $434/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Haydenville, MA 01039 87%808$116,429$423,100$403 cheaper homes ($171K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Kure Beach, NC 28449 85%825$107,563$759,700$410 pricier homes ($166K more) · newer homes
Saugatuck, MI 49453 84%122$110,139$490,600$404 cheaper homes ($103K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Mattapoisett, MA 02739 83%910$130,241$681,600$430 pricier homes ($88K more) · larger
Stonington, CT 06378 83%858$135,714$593,400$407 larger · 5 min shorter commute
Tybee Island, GA 31328 83%842$109,631$619,800$427 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Grand Lake, CO 80447 83%909$96,000$632,400$444 pricier homes ($39K more) · more renters
Newbury, NH 03255 82%838$117,045$465,000$416 cheaper homes ($129K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
New London, NH 03257 82%839$107,000$559,000$346 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger · younger residents
Ogunquit, ME 03907 82%909$114,259$875,700$595 pricier homes ($282K more) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Emerald Isle, NC 28594 82%826$89,773$603,700$474 larger · newer homes
Rowley, MA 01969 81%896$132,734$667,300$375 pricier homes ($74K more) · larger · younger residents
Pocasset, MA 02559 81%921$90,855$625,400$413 pricier homes ($32K more)
Wellfleet, MA 02667 81%948$121,110$855,500$627 pricier homes ($262K more) · larger
Sunapee, NH 03782 81%834$110,175$412,000$363 cheaper homes ($182K less) · larger · more renters
Oceanport, NJ 07757 81%768$126,094$757,700$524 pricier homes ($164K more) · larger · younger residents
Laporte, CO 80535 81%865$110,945$483,300$309 cheaper homes ($111K less)
Freeland, WA 98249 81%1,681$99,519$627,400$404 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger · newer homes
West Stockbridge, MA 01266 80%773$100,417$563,400$359 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Yarmouth Port, MA 02675 80%940$110,450$607,900$424 larger · 8 min shorter commute
Wilmot, NH 03287 80%842$117,759$399,600$300 cheaper homes ($194K less) · newer homes
Harpswell, ME 04079 80%938$91,969$612,400$500 larger · older residents · more single-family homes
New Preston Marble Dale, CT 06777 80%783$94,643$455,700$390 cheaper homes ($138K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Kewadin, MI 49648 80%234$93,272$633,500$414 pricier homes ($40K more) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Sandwich, MA 02563 79%927$121,455$617,800$441 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.