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 Williams Bay, WI 53191

Williams Bay: median income $75,833, home value $414,600, $282/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Idaho Springs, CO 80452 94%907$75,565$449,300$344 pricier homes ($35K more)
Bristol, VT 05443 92%784$88,594$356,600$238 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger
Vergennes, VT 05491 91%773$87,917$337,400$286 cheaper homes ($77K less) · larger
Deep River, CT 06417 90%830$90,253$362,200$286 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Thornton, NH 03285 87%854$90,022$351,900$254 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Greenville, RI 02828 86%869$97,196$440,900$291 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger
Meredith, NH 03253 86%861$84,719$482,700$354 pricier homes ($68K more) · larger · older residents
Topsham, ME 04086 86%939$91,028$360,800$296 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger
Wiscasset, ME 04578 86%952$81,063$327,400$234 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Millerton, NY 12546 86%768$84,455$313,300$313 cheaper homes ($101K less)
Banner Elk, NC 28604 86%569$76,319$383,800$327 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Keego Harbor, MI 48320 86%265$78,150$345,900$192 cheaper homes ($69K less) · younger residents
Idyllwild, CA 92549 86%1,638$73,750$532,300$340 pricier homes ($118K more)
Philomath, OR 97370 86%1,737$88,091$463,200$279 pricier homes ($49K more) · larger
Blue Hill, ME 04614 85%1,006$80,377$399,500$276 5 min shorter commute · newer homes
Valatie, NY 12184 85%757$98,622$355,200$276 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger
New Buffalo, MI 49117 85%107$75,114$488,000$351 pricier homes ($73K more) · older residents
Great Barrington, MA 01230 84%774$86,694$527,300$378 pricier homes ($113K more) · larger
Bethel, ME 04217 84%896$61,125$329,700$274 cheaper homes ($85K less)
Ludlow, VT 05149 84%802$64,191$365,300$300 cheaper homes ($49K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Horse Shoe, NC 28742 84%594$99,007$414,600$237 newer homes
Deerwood, MN 56444 84%375$77,500$365,200$238 cheaper homes ($49K less) · less walkable
Paonia, CO 81428 84%1,028$75,799$432,700$279 6 min shorter commute · less walkable
Palisade, CO 81526 84%1,061$87,500$501,800$337 pricier homes ($87K more) · larger
Lincolnville, ME 04849 83%981$80,377$360,600$329 cheaper homes ($54K less) · older 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.