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 Cross Plains, WI 53528

Cross Plains: median income $106,823, home value $436,100, $232/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Boiling Springs, PA 17007 94%678$117,130$385,600$185 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Le Claire, IA 52753 94%110$103,813$328,700$215 cheaper homes ($107K less)
South Berwick, ME 03908 93%948$98,289$425,700$274 Very close on everything we compare
Voorheesville, NY 12186 92%794$112,446$360,000$232 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Shalimar, FL 32579 92%891$104,510$444,300$232 larger
Topsham, ME 04086 91%986$91,028$360,800$296 cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger
Suffield, CT 06078 91%867$116,054$412,400$255 larger
Adel, IA 50003 91%247$103,114$395,400$256 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger · newer homes
Exeter, RI 02822 90%925$112,813$520,100$345 pricier homes ($84K more)
Gray, ME 04039 90%966$95,125$357,500$270 cheaper homes ($79K less) · 6 min longer commute
Pomfret Center, CT 06259 90%902$108,476$401,700$267 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Gales Ferry, CT 06335 90%904$118,116$322,400$265 cheaper homes ($114K less)
Yorktown, VA 23692 90%807$109,066$417,200$222 larger
Dell Rapids, SD 57022 90%358$100,656$325,200$192 cheaper homes ($111K less)
East Granby, CT 06026 89%863$119,375$388,000$233 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Plantsville, CT 06479 89%860$114,346$359,000$261 cheaper homes ($77K less) · larger · older residents
Green Lane, PA 18054 89%756$101,920$411,400$196 5 min longer commute
Schnecksville, PA 18078 89%739$120,857$385,400$205 cheaper homes ($51K less) · 6 min longer commute
Bellbrook, OH 45305 89%375$123,045$329,500$180 cheaper homes ($107K less) · larger
Madison Lake, MN 56063 89%223$102,391$416,300$297 smaller
Hope Valley, RI 02832 88%920$105,976$432,300$270 7 min longer commute
Hampden, ME 04444 88%1,037$106,554$293,000$200 cheaper homes ($143K less)
Broad Brook, CT 06016 88%873$120,399$335,400$225 cheaper homes ($101K less)
Altamont, NY 12009 88%790$120,101$342,900$247 cheaper homes ($93K less) · 5 min longer commute
Ballston Lake, NY 12019 88%796$112,420$400,400$271 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · 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.