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 South Haven, MN 55382

South Haven: median income $93,661, home value $368,100, $283/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Shapleigh, ME 04076 96%1,156$88,140$356,000$365 Very close on everything we compare
Star Prairie, WI 54026 96%81$95,833$342,200$277 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Canterbury, CT 06331 94%1,137$103,198$334,200$243 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Freeland, MD 21053 93%969$89,497$408,300$238 pricier homes ($40K more)
Earleville, MD 21919 93%1,014$106,500$373,200$224 Very close on everything we compare
Andover, NH 03216 92%1,112$88,311$358,800$194 smaller
Gilmanton, NH 03237 92%1,130$111,359$345,400$275 Very close on everything we compare
Sanbornville, NH 03872 92%1,147$109,583$334,400$278 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Steep Falls, ME 04085 92%1,162$92,246$288,600$253 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Barto, PA 19504 92%1,001$98,859$388,300$225 Very close on everything we compare
Allenton, MI 48002 92%583$93,948$313,100$214 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Saint Charles, IA 50240 92%277$107,563$305,800$288 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller
Center Barnstead, NH 03225 91%1,139$111,660$368,400$327 Very close on everything we compare
Hollis Center, ME 04042 91%1,166$95,950$338,900$270 cheaper homes ($29K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Limington, ME 04049 91%1,161$84,675$295,600$257 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Columbia, NJ 07832 91%1,009$106,424$355,200$237 Very close on everything we compare
Delanson, NY 12053 91%1,008$91,991$266,600$230 cheaper homes ($102K less)
Sharpsburg, MD 21782 91%930$94,130$311,600$207 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Culleoka, TN 38451 91%777$90,163$341,600$281 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Centerburg, OH 43011 91%678$90,121$315,600$205 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger
Holt, MO 64048 91%405$103,131$337,900$255 cheaper homes ($30K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Granville, MA 01034 90%1,081$91,016$356,800$231 smaller
Holland, MA 01521 90%1,121$91,979$333,600$359 cheaper homes ($35K less) · older residents
Alton, NH 03809 90%1,138$106,397$387,500$270 older residents
New Durham, NH 03855 90%1,143$100,194$339,400$450 cheaper homes ($29K 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.