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 Center City, MN 55012

Center City: median income $101,607, home value $386,600, $226/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Columbia, NJ 07832 97%944$106,424$355,200$237 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Earleville, MD 21919 96%952$106,500$373,200$224 larger
Barto, PA 19504 95%936$98,859$388,300$225 larger
Salisbury, NH 03268 94%1,047$111,818$363,200$268 Very close on everything we compare
Andover, NH 03216 93%1,043$88,311$358,800$194 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Alton, NH 03809 93%1,069$106,397$387,500$270 larger
Helenville, WI 53137 93%264$116,550$366,200$251 Very close on everything we compare
Troy, ID 83871 93%1,148$89,750$361,800$179 Very close on everything we compare
Sanbornville, NH 03872 92%1,077$109,583$334,400$278 cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger
Alexandria, OH 43001 92%634$93,804$387,400$216 6 min shorter commute
Becket, MA 01223 91%999$86,818$363,600$258 Very close on everything we compare
Greenfield, NH 03047 91%1,047$103,603$350,300$298 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Canterbury, CT 06331 91%1,069$103,198$334,200$243 cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger
East Haddam, CT 06423 91%1,055$107,549$373,700$306 larger
Berne, NY 12023 91%944$112,885$302,300$210 cheaper homes ($84K less)
East Berne, NY 12059 91%949$106,506$340,400$215 cheaper homes ($46K less) · older homes
Glen Spey, NY 12737 91%940$87,939$289,700$208 cheaper homes ($97K less)
Freeland, MD 21053 91%907$89,497$408,300$238 Very close on everything we compare
Leonard, MI 48367 91%511$110,405$397,900$192 larger
Merrimac, WI 53561 91%211$91,103$427,600$251 pricier homes ($41K more)
Beldenville, WI 54003 91%50$94,352$343,900$175 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller
Star Prairie, WI 54026 91%21$95,833$342,200$277 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Holt, MO 64048 91%424$103,131$337,900$255 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger
Silverlake, WA 98645 91%1,434$101,429$509,500$220 pricier homes ($123K more)
Oakham, MA 01068 90%1,051$102,000$420,100$265 pricier homes ($34K more) · 6 min longer commute

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.