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 Pine River, WI 54965

Pine River: median income $60,625, home value $197,500, $170/sq ft, 40-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Rock Cave, WV 26234 92%584$61,250$206,500— 5 min shorter commute
Free Soil, MI 49411 91%138$61,857$239,400$235 pricier homes ($42K more)
Jumping Branch, WV 25969 88%616$60,250$182,300— larger · younger residents
Powers, MI 49874 88%128$62,500$193,900$220 more renters
Jefferson, NY 12093 87%733$65,321$174,800$192 more apartments and townhomes
James Creek, PA 16657 87%613$63,353$214,500$164 6 min shorter commute
Bentley, MI 48613 87%246$58,846$160,900— cheaper homes ($37K less) · younger residents
National City, MI 48748 87%265$58,750$161,800$201 cheaper homes ($36K less) · older residents
Hubbard Lake, MI 49747 87%272$73,233$179,500$196 larger
Bancroft, MI 48414 86%262$68,214$195,300$186 larger · younger residents
Embarrass, MN 55732 86%286$64,750$178,700$192 9 min shorter commute
Floodwood, MN 55736 86%267$65,179$164,500$180 cheaper homes ($33K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Trinidad, TX 75163 86%914$60,462$198,200$176 larger · older residents
Great Cacapon, WV 25422 85%634$52,047$173,800$258 Very close on everything we compare
Oakley, MI 48649 85%251$72,609$164,200$117 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Rock, MI 49880 85%160$64,013$157,400$222 cheaper homes ($40K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Glenfield, NY 13343 84%680$70,478$163,600$236 cheaper homes ($34K less) · younger residents
Stahlstown, PA 15687 84%569$54,798$189,500$242 more apartments and townhomes
Robards, KY 42452 84%455$80,069$173,300$183 larger
Moscow, OH 45153 84%444$57,176$226,100— pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · younger residents
Six Lakes, MI 48886 84%201$61,667$165,600$179 cheaper homes ($32K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Varysburg, NY 14167 83%546$67,132$150,000— cheaper homes ($48K less) · younger residents
Zion Grove, PA 17985 83%691$71,979$179,700$226 9 min shorter commute
New Creek, WV 26743 83%612$61,331$198,100$112 larger · younger residents
Baker, WV 26801 83%636$56,429$206,700$238 more apartments and townhomes

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.