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 Park Rapids, MN 56470

Park Rapids: median income $67,500, home value $291,100, $192/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Guntersville, AL 35976 96%982$72,643$266,500$190 larger
Oakland, MD 21550 95%944$64,921$233,300$196 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Winchester, TN 37398 95%934$63,730$247,800$200 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Waupaca, WI 54981 95%338$72,640$218,700$193 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Blountville, TN 37617 94%969$64,764$247,700$178 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Cumberland, WI 54829 94%173$66,538$245,800$217 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
Saint Clair, MI 48079 93%675$79,891$293,000$179 Very close on everything we compare
Plainwell, MI 49080 93%557$74,864$258,300$195 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Hermann, MO 65041 93%604$70,368$249,200$179 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
La Grange, TX 78945 93%1,181$75,446$340,300$168 pricier homes ($49K more)
Weed, CA 96094 93%1,400$68,103$332,300$208 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller
Bedford, VA 24523 92%1,033$73,957$239,800$188 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Gibsonville, NC 27249 92%1,091$80,880$236,600$173 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Clyde, NC 28721 92%1,005$62,279$281,800$232 Very close on everything we compare
Spruce Pine, NC 28777 92%1,013$63,378$228,400$186 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Clayton, GA 30525 92%1,028$65,150$274,200$258 smaller
Hartwell, GA 30643 92%1,074$61,596$235,100$187 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger
Kingsport, TN 37663 92%968$76,007$238,900$169 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Sheridan, IN 46069 92%644$76,990$291,900$183 Very close on everything we compare
Cassopolis, MI 49031 92%566$66,944$232,600$141 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Cameron, WI 54822 92%190$70,000$235,700$174 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller
Saint Maries, ID 83861 92%1,009$65,508$307,800$237 smaller
Waldoboro, ME 04572 91%1,252$69,107$274,900$192 smaller
Greenwood, DE 19950 91%1,129$75,305$292,900$202 Very close on everything we compare
Amherst, VA 24521 91%1,038$73,571$240,900$191 cheaper homes ($50K 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.