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 Marine On Saint Croix, MN 55047

Marine On Saint Croix: median income $107,361, home value $497,900, $331/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sherman, CT 06784 91%1,000$116,750$492,700$336 larger
Newbury, NH 03255 89%1,035$117,045$465,000$416 cheaper homes ($33K less)
North Hero, VT 05474 89%953$102,143$451,400$404 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Cornwall Bridge, CT 06754 89%1,000$121,591$462,300$353 cheaper homes ($36K less) · younger residents
Clinton Corners, NY 12514 89%980$120,439$436,700$364 cheaper homes ($61K less) · 7 min longer commute
Black Hawk, CO 80422 89%743$95,625$588,800$342 pricier homes ($91K more) · larger · younger residents
Holmes, NY 12531 88%993$129,028$475,400$312 younger residents
Diamond Point, NY 12824 88%950$108,533$425,900$266 cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller · younger residents
Union Hall, VA 24176 88%886$98,250$627,000$332 pricier homes ($129K more) · newer homes
Gilmanton Iron Works, NH 03837 87%1,068$119,712$409,600$286 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller
Weems, VA 22576 87%992$104,948$414,000$264 cheaper homes ($84K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Queenstown, MD 21658 86%954$128,274$483,200$300 larger
Rhododendron, OR 97049 86%1,407$92,056$474,200$284 Very close on everything we compare
New Preston Marble Dale, CT 06777 85%1,006$94,643$455,700$390 cheaper homes ($42K less) · younger residents
Pine, CO 80470 85%752$135,682$681,300$304 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($183K more) · larger
Wayne, ME 04284 84%1,114$93,194$362,800$269 cheaper homes ($135K less) · smaller
Kintnersville, PA 18930 84%946$127,072$524,000$253 pricier homes ($26K more)
Petersham, MA 01366 83%1,042$110,750$392,400$305 cheaper homes ($106K less) · smaller · older homes
Francestown, NH 03043 83%1,051$104,063$408,200$252 cheaper homes ($90K less) · smaller · younger residents
Hancock, NH 03449 83%1,043$92,708$432,200$234 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Roxbury, CT 06783 83%1,010$123,864$714,500$345 pricier homes ($217K more)
Kewadin, MI 49648 83%364$93,272$633,500$414 pricier homes ($136K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Round Top, TX 78954 83%1,069$103,750$427,300$399 cheaper homes ($71K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Wilmot, NH 03287 82%1,038$117,759$399,600$300 cheaper homes ($98K less) · smaller · younger residents
East Haddam, CT 06423 82%1,055$107,549$373,700$306 cheaper homes ($124K less) · larger · 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.