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 Isle, MN 56342

Isle: median income $63,295, home value $246,500, $269/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hancock, WI 54943 96%238$62,500$207,100$250 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Neshkoro, WI 54960 95%260$66,625$233,900$262 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Albans, ME 04971 93%1,164$65,600$194,000$244 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller
Hadley, NY 12835 93%980$66,992$224,100$282 Very close on everything we compare
Ten Mile, TN 37880 92%857$65,208$215,900$258 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Shingletown, CA 96088 92%1,472$65,958$292,000$202 pricier homes ($46K more) · larger
Morton, WA 98356 91%1,365$60,060$308,500$279 pricier homes ($62K more) · older homes
Greentown, PA 18426 90%965$63,219$272,300$218 pricier homes ($26K more)
Wirtz, VA 24184 90%944$68,909$228,100$226 larger · newer homes
Willis, VA 24380 90%927$57,778$224,400$264 younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Free Soil, MI 49411 90%379$61,857$239,400$235 smaller
Powers, MI 49874 90%288$62,500$193,900$220 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller
Suring, WI 54174 90%260$69,878$187,700$225 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Gouldsboro, ME 04607 89%1,233$60,152$253,400$270 smaller
Stahlstown, PA 15687 89%823$54,798$189,500$242 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller
Westfield, NC 27053 89%953$67,974$224,500$180 Very close on everything we compare
Holcombe, WI 54745 89%130$67,891$255,200$252 8 min shorter commute
Alstead, NH 03602 88%1,057$70,455$279,400$216 pricier homes ($33K more)
Rock Cave, WV 26234 88%841$61,250$206,500— cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller
Baker, WV 26801 88%892$56,429$206,700$238 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller · younger residents
Ridgeway, SC 29130 88%1,050$63,963$265,500$273 larger · 6 min shorter commute
Liberty, TN 37095 88%803$64,792$189,200$212 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller
Prospect, TN 38477 88%838$60,542$223,200$182 Very close on everything we compare
Rock Island, TN 38581 88%825$55,985$182,500$216 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Rockbridge, OH 43149 88%716$57,500$257,600$342 younger residents

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.