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.

Reset

Towns most like Arena, WI 53503

Arena: median income $87,361, home value $239,900, $198/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Addison, MI 49220 95%297$72,500$225,200$190 Very close on everything we compare
Steep Falls, ME 04085 94%967$92,246$288,600$253 pricier homes ($49K more)
Monroe, ME 04951 94%1,043$81,300$220,300$191 smaller
Jetersville, VA 23083 94%742$82,096$309,900$239 pricier homes ($70K more)
Jay, FL 32565 94%861$84,432$239,500$200 larger
Verona, KY 41092 94%404$85,625$255,300$191 larger
Perry, KS 66073 94%398$86,641$216,600$179 Very close on everything we compare
Talala, OK 74080 94%550$91,042$287,500$209 pricier homes ($48K more)
Edgewood, TX 75117 94%791$90,954$250,000$181 larger
Bowdoin, ME 04287 93%999$91,239$292,800$251 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger
Millerstown, PA 17062 93%683$90,893$233,000$209 larger · older homes
Aspers, PA 17304 93%692$84,885$248,000$216 larger
Soso, MS 39480 93%788$74,853$183,100$188 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Utica, OH 43080 93%437$87,301$232,300$172 larger
Millbury, OH 43447 93%350$89,643$218,600$167 larger · 5 min shorter commute
Heltonville, IN 47436 93%345$75,278$210,800$166 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Burtrum, MN 56318 93%301$84,297$272,200$168 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
Royalton, MN 56373 93%282$91,192$302,900$165 pricier homes ($63K more) · larger
Silex, MO 63377 93%285$88,424$233,600$275 larger
Stewartsville, MO 64490 93%331$88,750$181,800$189 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Palermo, ME 04354 92%1,024$89,095$259,700$253 Very close on everything we compare
Levant, ME 04456 92%1,045$86,071$268,500$207 pricier homes ($29K more)
Irasburg, VT 05845 92%884$82,262$233,200$197 6 min shorter commute
Chaplin, CT 06235 92%910$98,059$256,300$272 Very close on everything we compare
Fort Ann, NY 12827 92%827$81,424$218,000$175 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.