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 Green Lake, WI 54941

Green Lake: median income $79,146, home value $276,000, $239/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bethlehem, NH 03574 94%857$81,250$288,300$191 Very close on everything we compare
Rock Hall, MD 21661 94%734$90,492$283,200$304 Very close on everything we compare
Randolph, VT 05060 92%810$77,317$255,500$200 larger
Wiscasset, ME 04578 91%958$81,063$327,400$234 pricier homes ($51K more) · larger
Garretson, SD 57030 91%377$79,375$327,400$214 pricier homes ($51K more) · younger residents
Bernardston, MA 01337 90%827$85,045$338,800$233 pricier homes ($63K more) · younger residents
South Royalton, VT 05068 90%818$80,911$298,600$226 older homes
Kinderhook, NY 12106 90%775$75,714$278,100$264 older homes
Callicoon, NY 12723 90%719$77,313$235,900$275 cheaper homes ($40K less) · younger residents
Bellaire, MI 49615 90%201$79,469$292,300$251 larger
Orford, NH 03777 89%839$92,571$271,900$259 smaller · younger residents
Sedgwick, ME 04676 89%1,007$73,333$336,500$235 pricier homes ($61K more) · smaller
Shoreham, VT 05770 89%779$92,188$320,000$217 pricier homes ($44K more) · smaller
Chestertown, NY 12817 89%756$93,393$327,600$316 pricier homes ($52K more)
Cascade Locks, OR 97014 89%1,608$75,000$387,700$246 pricier homes ($112K more) · smaller
Hancock, ME 04640 88%1,025$71,699$269,100$292 6 min longer commute
Youngstown, NY 14174 88%499$79,695$250,300$231 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · younger residents
Trumansburg, NY 14886 88%626$82,000$238,500$207 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger
Columbus, NC 28722 88%694$67,760$307,300$225 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · newer homes
Hamilton, IN 46742 88%260$78,750$250,500$199 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Deerwood, MN 56444 88%299$77,500$365,200$238 pricier homes ($89K more)
Pelican Rapids, MN 56572 88%394$79,475$298,800$226 larger
Custer, SD 57730 88%721$83,469$378,800$279 pricier homes ($103K more) · larger
Sundance, WY 82729 88%764$89,306$308,400$204 pricier homes ($32K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Lisbon, NH 03585 87%847$68,594$233,700$250 cheaper homes ($42K less) · 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.