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 Mercer, WI 54547

Mercer: median income $63,500, home value $306,600, $296/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hackensack, MN 56452 96%218$62,941$352,700$300 pricier homes ($46K more)
Longville, MN 56655 94%205$57,404$335,200$377 pricier homes ($29K more)
Freedom, NH 03836 93%940$66,136$389,000$344 pricier homes ($82K more)
Tower, MN 55790 93%154$77,232$328,900$339 Very close on everything we compare
Roach, MO 65787 93%576$62,917$314,500$254 younger residents
Kents Hill, ME 04349 89%976$59,500$257,600$307 cheaper homes ($49K less) · 7 min longer commute
Drummond Island, MI 49726 89%304$67,232$273,200— cheaper homes ($33K less)
Battle Lake, MN 56515 89%270$73,750$398,500$251 pricier homes ($92K more) · larger
Oriental, NC 28571 88%1,038$63,393$372,500$257 pricier homes ($66K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Lakemont, GA 30552 88%862$66,316$354,700$390 pricier homes ($48K more) · younger residents
Indian River, MI 49749 88%268$65,608$244,300$234 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger
Mackay, ID 83251 88%1,156$73,482$366,900$286 pricier homes ($60K more)
Tamworth, NH 03886 87%930$74,450$368,200$274 pricier homes ($62K more) · older homes
Swanton, MD 21561 87%716$73,858$328,700$295 larger · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Nevis, MN 56467 87%233$74,297$318,000$263 larger · younger residents
Climax Springs, MO 65324 87%574$52,969$311,300$235 Very close on everything we compare
Austin, CO 81410 87%1,042$67,826$366,700$213 pricier homes ($60K more)
Maggie Valley, NC 28751 86%820$69,057$313,500$292 larger · younger residents
Mears, MI 49436 86%247$67,279$255,000$285 cheaper homes ($52K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Sheridan, MT 59749 86%1,063$80,238$382,400$332 pricier homes ($76K more) · younger residents
Sunrise Beach, MO 65079 86%571$70,024$394,800$302 pricier homes ($88K more) · larger
Penobscot, ME 04476 85%1,041$63,194$296,400$280 younger residents
Warwick, MD 21912 85%858$69,868$391,700$259 pricier homes ($85K more) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Lottsburg, VA 22511 85%895$48,988$342,600$252 pricier homes ($36K more) · older homes
Dent, MN 56528 85%273$79,500$319,300$248 younger 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.