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 Deerwood, MN 56444

Deerwood: median income $77,500, home value $365,200, $238/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Wiscasset, ME 04578 97%1,185$81,063$327,400$234 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 96%968$71,383$341,400$248 larger
Spring Mills, PA 16875 93%900$71,250$307,700$211 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Oley, PA 19547 93%998$89,948$357,900$213 Very close on everything we compare
Goode, VA 24556 93%970$87,250$399,000$204 pricier homes ($34K more)
Etowah, NC 28729 93%967$84,413$321,000$244 cheaper homes ($44K less) · younger residents
Cove, OR 97824 93%1,149$80,263$413,700$267 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller
Alexandria, OH 43001 92%716$93,804$387,400$216 Very close on everything we compare
Black Earth, WI 53515 92%306$92,625$361,300$218 Very close on everything we compare
Garretson, SD 57030 92%228$79,375$327,400$214 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Cascade, MT 59421 92%843$78,125$377,900$267 smaller
Paonia, CO 81428 92%870$75,799$432,700$279 pricier homes ($68K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Cascade, ID 83611 92%1,056$77,411$429,400$335 pricier homes ($64K more)
Blue Hill, ME 04614 91%1,229$80,377$399,500$276 pricier homes ($34K more)
Sedgwick, ME 04676 91%1,228$73,333$336,500$235 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
Surry, ME 04684 91%1,232$74,508$296,300$251 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Athens, NY 12015 91%1,029$91,845$306,300$226 cheaper homes ($59K less) · 5 min longer commute
Harmony, PA 16037 91%787$93,077$348,200$205 larger
Afton, VA 22920 91%965$88,028$410,000$311 pricier homes ($45K more)
Saluda, NC 28773 91%980$70,703$413,700$319 pricier homes ($49K more)
Cedar, MI 49621 91%405$95,446$396,600$278 pricier homes ($31K more)
Mazomanie, WI 53560 91%302$98,409$358,000$228 Very close on everything we compare
Amherst, WI 54406 91%262$77,533$284,800$186 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Cascade Locks, OR 97014 91%1,336$75,000$387,700$246 smaller
Bernardston, MA 01337 90%1,077$85,045$338,800$233 cheaper homes ($26K less) · older homes

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.