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 Sauk City, WI 53583

Sauk City: median income $97,286, home value $344,000, $227/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Strasburg, PA 17579 96%735$91,621$349,400$240 Very close on everything we compare
Cannon Falls, MN 55009 96%177$91,295$331,300$208 Very close on everything we compare
Dayville, CT 06241 95%913$88,389$298,200$234 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Moodus, CT 06469 95%890$104,888$300,000$234 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller
Baltimore, OH 43105 95%436$98,583$340,900$219 larger
Brooklyn, CT 06234 94%910$96,207$315,200$243 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Woodbine, NJ 08270 94%822$99,592$303,400$233 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Hartville, OH 44632 94%460$91,061$267,500$199 cheaper homes ($77K less) · larger
Jaffrey, NH 03452 93%893$92,330$245,500$265 cheaper homes ($99K less)
Walpole, NH 03608 93%872$88,224$355,600$219 smaller
Glen Rock, PA 17327 93%713$101,106$315,700$184 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Mohnton, PA 19540 93%738$100,000$319,600$216 larger
Thurmont, MD 21788 93%687$98,856$379,200$208 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger
De Witt, IA 52742 92%107$97,946$261,000$165 cheaper homes ($83K less)
Saint Paul Park, MN 55071 92%194$100,798$267,500$187 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Peotone, IL 60468 92%167$104,625$294,000$194 cheaper homes ($50K less) · 6 min longer commute
Bonner Springs, KS 66012 92%396$97,873$276,500$191 cheaper homes ($68K less) · larger
Springfield, MA 01129 91%878$97,162$256,700$232 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Swanton, VT 05488 91%831$77,154$288,700$225 cheaper homes ($55K less)
East Greenville, PA 18041 91%758$98,615$317,700$217 cheaper homes ($26K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Green Lane, PA 18054 91%763$101,920$411,400$196 pricier homes ($67K more)
Rising Sun, MD 21911 91%750$104,673$359,000$220 larger · newer homes
Hampton, VA 23664 91%828$87,412$285,600$216 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger
Eyota, MN 55934 91%136$84,952$327,700$163 smaller
Saint Charles, MN 55972 91%125$98,878$287,800$166 cheaper homes ($56K 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.