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 Pequot Lakes, MN 56472

Pequot Lakes: median income $81,328, home value $342,500, $254/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ellijay, GA 30536 96%975$80,000$338,500$240 Very close on everything we compare
Etowah, NC 28729 94%988$84,413$321,000$244 smaller
Interlochen, MI 49643 94%431$81,222$271,300$271 cheaper homes ($71K less)
East Helena, MT 59635 94%835$83,740$395,600$277 pricier homes ($53K more)
Efland, NC 27243 93%1,065$84,348$298,600$270 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller
Friendsville, TN 37737 93%917$81,706$320,500$266 Very close on everything we compare
Knoxville, TN 37938 93%901$84,135$322,500$205 larger
Felton, DE 19943 92%1,079$73,925$312,300$200 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
Oxford, GA 30054 92%1,048$76,427$318,200$181 Very close on everything we compare
Piney Flats, TN 37686 92%934$84,264$352,200$211 Very close on everything we compare
Thornville, OH 43076 92%755$91,085$300,500$227 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Burnet, TX 78611 92%1,116$80,938$319,300$212 larger
Hardy, VA 24101 91%985$87,112$314,500$232 cheaper homes ($28K less) · older residents
Stokesdale, NC 27357 91%1,027$75,287$295,000$193 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Swansboro, NC 28584 91%1,214$87,414$339,200$221 larger
Waynesville, OH 45068 91%709$96,147$335,600$204 Very close on everything we compare
Belleville, WI 53508 91%348$99,948$350,700$230 smaller
Hortonville, WI 54944 91%316$100,523$346,200$201 Very close on everything we compare
Piedmont, SD 57769 91%471$94,375$367,400$243 smaller
Fruita, CO 81521 91%893$88,458$422,900$294 pricier homes ($80K more) · larger
Sierra Vista, AZ 85650 91%1,346$91,654$327,000$193 larger
Soldotna, AK 99669 91%2,430$80,980$320,200$269 larger · 5 min shorter commute
Poland, ME 04274 90%1,169$85,557$283,600$275 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Brunswick, GA 31523 90%1,262$88,988$310,400$177 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger
Hamilton, GA 31811 90%1,079$90,385$294,600$188 cheaper homes ($48K less)

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.