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 Watertown, MN 55388

Watertown: median income $99,375, home value $356,900, $191/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Johnson Creek, WI 53038 93%283$96,127$327,400$184 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Kewaskum, WI 53040 93%297$96,096$326,100$210 cheaper homes ($31K less) · older residents
Baldwin, WI 54002 93%72$88,275$309,200$200 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Peculiar, MO 64078 93%432$103,922$301,900$176 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger
Shelley, ID 83274 93%910$92,669$379,300$185 larger
Moxee, WA 98936 93%1,277$99,280$364,700$205 Very close on everything we compare
Nottingham, PA 19362 92%976$89,302$359,700$196 older residents
Fort Pierce, FL 34945 92%1,418$87,568$345,700$198 Very close on everything we compare
Trevor, WI 53179 92%331$94,460$305,800$221 cheaper homes ($51K less) · older residents
Roberts, WI 54023 92%63$108,466$385,100$197 pricier homes ($28K more)
Newmanstown, PA 17073 91%949$91,452$272,200$214 cheaper homes ($85K less)
Gap, PA 17527 91%969$94,788$324,900$175 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Troutman, NC 28166 91%934$93,511$348,600$191 larger
Coopersville, MI 49404 91%414$86,096$295,100$195 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger
Kimberly, ID 83341 91%1,035$99,100$411,400$259 pricier homes ($55K more) · larger
New Gloucester, ME 04260 90%1,159$108,797$357,100$257 older residents
Strasburg, PA 17579 90%962$91,621$349,400$240 Very close on everything we compare
Atglen, PA 19310 90%972$82,371$315,700$231 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller
Rising Sun, MD 21911 90%977$104,673$359,000$220 larger · older residents
Walton, KY 41094 90%632$96,515$293,700$185 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger
Middleville, MI 49333 90%445$89,214$324,700$203 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger
Marshall, WI 53559 90%267$93,571$315,300$211 cheaper homes ($42K less) · older residents · older homes
Franklin, TX 77856 90%975$94,785$318,400$231 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Gervais, OR 97026 90%1,411$90,461$395,400$274 pricier homes ($39K more)
Rindge, NH 03461 89%1,095$102,679$415,400$281 pricier homes ($59K more)

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.