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 Hillman, MN 56338

Hillman: median income $70,938, home value $289,600, $295/sq ft, 42-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Boulevard, CA 91905 92%1,505$77,886$394,400$326 pricier homes ($105K more)
Danbury, NH 03230 88%1,090$71,685$240,700$272 cheaper homes ($49K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Bentonville, VA 22610 88%938$81,500$337,700$246 pricier homes ($48K more)
Rockbridge, OH 43149 88%728$57,500$257,600$342 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Acton, ME 04001 87%1,134$78,750$334,300$388 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger
Greentown, PA 18426 87%982$63,219$272,300$218 larger
Capon Bridge, WV 26711 87%911$71,212$243,500$218 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Orland, ME 04472 86%1,222$69,022$275,300$295 Very close on everything we compare
Brogue, PA 17309 86%977$84,917$262,500$233 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Free Soil, MI 49411 86%395$61,857$239,400$235 cheaper homes ($50K less) · older residents
Thornton, TX 76687 86%1,023$73,323$254,500$326 cheaper homes ($35K less) · newer homes
West Newfield, ME 04095 85%1,135$57,206$319,000$350 pricier homes ($29K more) · 7 min longer commute
Ford, VA 23850 85%1,034$87,986$247,900$220 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Moscow, OH 45153 85%700$57,176$226,100— cheaper homes ($64K less) · more renters
Hancock, WI 54943 85%251$62,500$207,100$250 cheaper homes ($83K less)
Campo, CA 91906 85%1,513$62,500$327,600$294 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger · more renters
Dinwiddie, VA 23841 84%1,044$70,670$247,900$256 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Cunningham, TN 37052 84%748$69,423$224,300$211 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Emmett, MI 48022 84%586$96,809$239,800$238 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger
Cat Spring, TX 78933 84%1,135$68,444$272,600$293 more renters · newer homes
McCammon, ID 83250 84%932$73,555$322,000$217 pricier homes ($32K more) · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Glenfield, NY 13343 83%918$70,478$163,600$236 cheaper homes ($126K less)
Elliottsburg, PA 17024 83%919$79,292$295,100$308 10 min shorter commute
Goldsboro, MD 21636 83%1,038$73,426$320,000$263 pricier homes ($30K more) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Rileyville, VA 22650 83%936$72,226$277,700$307 smaller · 6 min shorter commute

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.