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.

Reset

Towns most like Aitkin, MN 56431

Aitkin: median income $67,828, home value $295,400, $213/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Tomahawk, WI 54487 95%200$72,416$227,700$222 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Eagle River, WI 54521 95%214$74,071$305,100$257 Very close on everything we compare
Gravois Mills, MO 65037 92%570$66,360$284,100$256 smaller
Newland, NC 28657 91%941$59,702$240,300$249 cheaper homes ($55K less) · younger residents
Blairsville, GA 30512 91%946$66,642$313,300$205 larger
Port Charlotte, FL 33948 90%1,486$62,744$298,700$190 larger
Chewelah, WA 99109 90%1,131$62,391$327,400$235 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
West Jefferson, NC 28694 89%938$58,486$273,200$266 younger residents
Hayesville, NC 28904 89%942$56,480$284,500$234 Very close on everything we compare
Clayton, GA 30525 89%963$65,150$274,200$258 younger residents
Hilbert, WI 54129 89%310$67,381$279,700$208 smaller
Spooner, WI 54801 89%94$62,625$216,500$210 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Llano, TX 78643 89%1,121$68,365$362,600$239 pricier homes ($67K more)
Minocqua, WI 54548 88%191$69,569$336,400$288 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller
Woodruff, WI 54568 88%193$72,589$281,000$223 smaller
Otis Orchards, WA 99027 88%1,103$74,718$444,500$228 pricier homes ($149K more) · smaller
Fryeburg, ME 04037 87%1,112$54,414$278,200$260 smaller
Centre Hall, PA 16828 87%887$76,468$273,800$192 smaller · younger residents
Hardy, VA 24101 87%955$87,112$314,500$232 smaller
Hiawassee, GA 30546 87%952$59,234$295,000$248 Very close on everything we compare
Port Charlotte, FL 33954 87%1,485$78,288$332,600$194 pricier homes ($37K more) · newer homes
South Haven, MI 49090 87%460$68,920$295,000$293 Very close on everything we compare
Webster, WI 54893 87%76$56,129$234,200$220 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Wautoma, WI 54982 87%270$64,201$203,100$209 cheaper homes ($92K less)
Oakland, MD 21550 86%871$64,921$233,300$196 cheaper homes ($62K less) · 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.