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 Merrifield, MN 56465

Merrifield: median income $74,400, home value $372,100, $337/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Beulah, MI 49617 94%415$74,207$304,000$352 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Swanton, MD 21561 93%895$73,858$328,700$295 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Worton, MD 21678 93%1,037$71,023$319,000$266 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Deming, WA 98244 93%1,303$67,159$447,000$394 pricier homes ($75K more)
Casco, ME 04015 92%1,158$69,313$355,500$316 more apartments and townhomes
Saluda, NC 28773 92%993$70,703$413,700$319 pricier homes ($42K more)
Lakemont, GA 30552 92%987$66,316$354,700$390 Very close on everything we compare
Good Hope, GA 30641 90%1,042$70,491$409,400$220 pricier homes ($37K more)
Harshaw, WI 54529 90%223$72,000$268,100$311 cheaper homes ($104K less) · smaller
Cascade, MT 59421 90%830$78,125$377,900$267 Very close on everything we compare
Huson, MT 59846 90%958$70,851$461,200$472 pricier homes ($89K more) · smaller
Whitewater, CO 81527 90%890$76,815$425,600$328 pricier homes ($54K more) · smaller · more renters
Surry, ME 04684 89%1,243$74,508$296,300$251 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Warriors Mark, PA 16877 89%895$68,500$307,700— cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller
Warwick, MD 21912 89%1,045$69,868$391,700$259 smaller
New Hampton, NH 03256 88%1,112$87,917$382,000$353 more walkable
Culleoka, TN 38451 88%849$90,163$341,600$281 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Rapid City, MI 49676 88%442$75,781$269,300$290 cheaper homes ($103K less) · younger residents
Sarona, WI 54870 88%127$67,063$296,100$330 cheaper homes ($76K less) · more walkable
Sheridan, MT 59749 88%868$80,238$382,400$332 Very close on everything we compare
Easton, KS 66020 88%500$78,594$320,100— cheaper homes ($52K less)
Cove, OR 97824 88%1,137$80,263$413,700$267 pricier homes ($42K more) · younger residents
Lovell, ME 04051 87%1,134$80,625$295,000$233 cheaper homes ($77K less) · smaller
Morganton, GA 30560 87%957$66,016$321,300$271 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Hazelhurst, WI 54531 87%216$84,286$344,900$286 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller · older 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.