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 Nisswa, MN 56468

Nisswa: median income $100,300, home value $465,800, $372/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Moultonborough, NH 03254 93%1,129$106,440$641,300$374 pricier homes ($176K more)
Suttons Bay, MI 49682 90%430$97,813$396,500$369 cheaper homes ($69K less) · 7 min longer commute
North Garden, VA 22959 89%993$95,461$548,800$414 pricier homes ($83K more) · smaller
Maple City, MI 49664 89%421$77,500$475,900$410 smaller
Harbor Springs, MI 49740 89%451$89,250$363,500$312 cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger
Bowdoinham, ME 04008 88%1,194$108,479$405,500$330 cheaper homes ($60K less) · 5 min longer commute
Lincolnville, ME 04849 88%1,227$80,377$360,600$329 cheaper homes ($105K less)
Afton, VA 22920 88%983$88,028$410,000$311 cheaper homes ($56K less) · 5 min longer commute · more renters
Fairview, NC 28730 88%977$102,900$433,300$267 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Saugatuck, MI 49453 88%480$110,139$490,600$404 smaller
Cedar, MI 49621 88%425$95,446$396,600$278 cheaper homes ($69K less) · 6 min longer commute
Charlestown, RI 02813 87%1,175$109,404$525,500$412 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Oak Island, NC 28465 87%1,213$86,194$479,500$428 larger · older residents
Gilford, NH 03249 86%1,132$116,635$456,500$334 larger · younger residents
Harbeson, DE 19951 86%1,107$95,546$472,400$261 smaller · newer homes
Corrales, NM 87048 86%1,007$102,004$574,000$319 pricier homes ($108K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Yarmouth Port, MA 02675 85%1,234$110,450$607,900$424 pricier homes ($142K more) · larger
Hebron, NH 03241 85%1,109$91,375$470,700$371 smaller · older homes
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 85%1,141$94,349$548,600$347 pricier homes ($83K more) · more renters
Eliot, ME 03903 85%1,171$101,522$498,900$363 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · more renters
Malabar, FL 32950 85%1,480$115,781$455,900$230 Very close on everything we compare
Kennebunkport, ME 04046 84%1,180$102,529$586,100$434 pricier homes ($120K more) · larger · more renters
Phippsburg, ME 04562 84%1,203$107,833$335,800$423 cheaper homes ($130K less) · smaller · more renters
Palmer Lake, CO 80133 84%740$120,625$482,500$254 smaller · younger residents
Cotuit, MA 02635 83%1,226$110,197$683,600$490 pricier homes ($218K 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.