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 Madison Lake, MN 56063

Madison Lake: median income $102,391, home value $416,300, $297/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hope Valley, RI 02832 94%1,131$105,976$432,300$270 larger
Pomfret Center, CT 06259 94%1,112$108,476$401,700$267 Very close on everything we compare
Horse Shoe, NC 28742 94%856$99,007$414,600$237 Very close on everything we compare
Chichester, NH 03258 93%1,118$108,906$410,100$271 6 min longer commute
Galena, MD 21635 93%982$101,618$402,000$258 smaller · older residents
Fort Calhoun, NE 68023 93%222$116,287$389,600$333 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Valatie, NY 12184 92%1,018$98,622$355,200$276 cheaper homes ($61K less) · larger
Oley, PA 19547 92%958$89,948$357,900$213 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Belleville, WI 53508 92%234$99,948$350,700$230 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger
Mazomanie, WI 53560 92%215$98,409$358,000$228 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Banks, OR 97106 92%1,428$104,250$546,400$321 pricier homes ($130K more) · larger
South Berwick, ME 03908 91%1,149$98,289$425,700$274 larger · younger residents
Gray, ME 04039 91%1,162$95,125$357,500$270 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger
Grand Isle, VT 05458 91%1,010$101,728$403,200$297 7 min longer commute
Northford, CT 06472 91%1,081$105,729$405,200$264 larger
Ghent, NY 12075 91%1,021$98,047$422,900$253 older homes
Cedar, MI 49621 91%397$95,446$396,600$278 Very close on everything we compare
Williamsburg, MI 49690 91%415$108,712$352,200$306 cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger
Brooklyn, WI 53521 91%242$108,036$391,100$263 cheaper homes ($25K less)
Southampton, MA 01073 90%1,069$123,125$452,300$303 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger
Sanbornton, NH 03269 90%1,105$107,083$450,000$319 pricier homes ($34K more) · 6 min longer commute
Nobleboro, ME 04555 90%1,202$100,417$352,600$348 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller
Cambridge, VT 05444 90%1,031$106,088$366,400$248 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller
New Haven, VT 05472 90%1,021$92,537$378,000$217 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller
Barneveld, WI 53507 90%213$113,261$347,400$224 cheaper homes ($69K 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.