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 Eagle River, WI 54521

Eagle River: median income $74,071, home value $305,100, $257/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Aitkin, MN 56431 95%214$67,828$295,400$213 Very close on everything we compare
South Haven, MI 49090 93%285$68,920$295,000$293 larger
Boyne City, MI 49712 93%211$74,033$294,800$318 Very close on everything we compare
Llano, TX 78643 92%1,164$68,365$362,600$239 pricier homes ($58K more)
Centre Hall, PA 16828 90%679$76,468$273,800$192 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · younger residents
Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 90%813$71,383$341,400$248 pricier homes ($36K more)
Clayton, GA 30525 90%821$65,150$274,200$258 cheaper homes ($31K less) · younger residents
Wiscasset, ME 04578 89%963$81,063$327,400$234 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Beaufort, NC 28516 89%1,016$66,057$315,400$270 Very close on everything we compare
West Jefferson, NC 28694 89%772$58,486$273,200$266 cheaper homes ($32K less) · younger residents
Lake City, MN 55041 89%180$78,672$275,200$221 cheaper homes ($30K less) · younger residents
Pelican Rapids, MN 56572 89%329$79,475$298,800$226 7 min longer commute
Custer, SD 57730 89%711$83,469$378,800$279 pricier homes ($74K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Hardy, VA 24101 88%773$87,112$314,500$232 Very close on everything we compare
Syracuse, IN 46567 88%358$77,103$239,700$338 cheaper homes ($65K less) · younger residents
Bellaire, MI 49615 88%206$79,469$292,300$251 smaller
Clear Lake, IA 50428 88%280$81,037$283,400$232 younger residents
Gravois Mills, MO 65037 88%560$66,360$284,100$256 smaller
Freedom, PA 15042 87%580$75,742$231,700$193 cheaper homes ($73K less) · 7 min longer commute
Newland, NC 28657 87%780$59,702$240,300$249 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Valdese, NC 28690 87%809$67,000$211,300$219 cheaper homes ($94K less)
Wabasha, MN 55981 87%173$71,607$273,400$181 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
Glenwood, MN 56334 87%296$69,525$279,900$191 cheaper homes ($25K less) · younger residents
Oakhurst, CA 93644 87%1,665$81,196$396,300$250 pricier homes ($91K more) · younger residents
Otis Orchards, WA 99027 87%1,316$74,718$444,500$228 pricier homes ($139K more)

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.