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 Annandale, MN 55302

Annandale: median income $83,235, home value $347,000, $230/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mount Pleasant, NC 28124 96%988$80,778$310,500$224 cheaper homes ($37K less)
New Plymouth, ID 83655 96%1,116$84,542$371,300$261 Very close on everything we compare
Hollis Center, ME 04042 95%1,161$95,950$338,900$270 smaller
Boonsboro, MD 21713 95%923$96,199$369,200$207 Very close on everything we compare
Milton, WI 53563 95%308$89,528$293,800$229 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger
Elmer, NJ 08318 94%1,040$92,558$302,000$198 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
Preston, MD 21655 94%1,033$90,385$289,200$221 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Etowah, NC 28729 94%914$84,413$321,000$244 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Columbia Station, OH 44028 94%669$87,595$331,700$204 Very close on everything we compare
Seville, OH 44273 94%682$96,431$275,400$216 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Seven Valleys, PA 17360 93%957$97,896$303,200$175 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Centerburg, OH 43011 93%672$90,121$315,600$205 cheaper homes ($31K less) · 5 min longer commute
Sheridan, IN 46069 93%534$76,990$291,900$183 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Poynette, WI 53955 93%264$101,134$332,000$201 Very close on everything we compare
Fremont, WI 54940 93%267$90,813$307,100$208 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller
Oakdale, CT 06370 92%1,128$105,700$332,500$231 Very close on everything we compare
Delanson, NY 12053 92%1,002$91,991$266,600$230 cheaper homes ($80K less) · smaller
Hanover, VA 23069 92%1,008$83,453$356,400$274 smaller
Baltimore, OH 43105 92%692$98,583$340,900$219 Very close on everything we compare
Carroll, OH 43112 92%691$91,613$338,300$195 Very close on everything we compare
Leesburg, IN 46538 92%497$89,803$270,600$234 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller
Sunman, IN 47041 92%620$81,016$287,400$179 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Cedar Grove, WI 53013 92%330$84,375$277,900$236 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller
Salem, WI 53168 92%350$97,035$300,200$243 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Luxemburg, WI 54217 92%316$89,489$284,700$228 cheaper homes ($62K less)

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.