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 Hackensack, MN 56452

Hackensack: median income $62,941, home value $352,700, $300/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mercer, WI 54547 96%218$63,500$306,600$296 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Warwick, MD 21912 93%1,073$69,868$391,700$259 pricier homes ($39K more)
Roach, MO 65787 92%619$62,917$314,500$254 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Morganton, GA 30560 91%993$66,016$321,300$271 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Freedom, NH 03836 90%1,154$66,136$389,000$344 pricier homes ($36K more)
Three Lakes, WI 54562 90%269$57,422$326,300$370 cheaper homes ($26K less) · older homes
Cable, WI 54821 90%165$57,813$321,400$268 cheaper homes ($31K less) · older homes
Maggie Valley, NC 28751 89%987$69,057$313,500$292 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
Lakemont, GA 30552 89%1,022$66,316$354,700$390 younger residents
Sarona, WI 54870 89%158$67,063$296,100$330 cheaper homes ($57K less) · younger residents
Trego, WI 54888 89%145$63,971$240,500$249 cheaper homes ($112K less)
Austin, CO 81410 89%884$67,826$366,700$213 Very close on everything we compare
Garden Valley, ID 83622 89%1,048$65,625$576,800$332 pricier homes ($224K more)
Kents Hill, ME 04349 88%1,187$59,500$257,600$307 cheaper homes ($95K less)
Swanton, MD 21561 88%925$73,858$328,700$295 younger residents
Oriental, NC 28571 88%1,237$63,393$372,500$257 more apartments and townhomes
Townsend, TN 37882 88%958$69,012$344,500$315 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Danbury, WI 54830 88%126$66,941$267,400$229 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger
Warriors Mark, PA 16877 87%923$68,500$307,700— cheaper homes ($45K less) · younger residents
Saluda, NC 28773 87%1,027$70,703$413,700$319 pricier homes ($61K more) · larger · younger residents
Dauphin Island, AL 36528 87%1,206$67,206$432,200$312 pricier homes ($80K more)
Pittsburg, NH 03592 86%1,114$61,094$279,500$293 cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller
Drummond Island, MI 49726 86%516$67,232$273,200— cheaper homes ($80K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Indian River, MI 49749 86%486$65,608$244,300$234 cheaper homes ($108K less) · larger
Sheridan, MT 59749 86%850$80,238$382,400$332 pricier homes ($30K more)

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.