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 Lake Park, MN 56554

Lake Park: median income $94,792, home value $376,400, $307/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cedar, MI 49621 95%511$95,446$396,600$278 Very close on everything we compare
Merrimac, WI 53561 95%393$91,103$427,600$251 pricier homes ($51K more)
Shapleigh, ME 04076 93%1,244$88,140$356,000$365 Very close on everything we compare
Columbia, NJ 07832 93%1,118$106,424$355,200$237 Very close on everything we compare
Galway, NY 12074 93%1,106$94,583$304,800$234 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Middle Grove, NY 12850 93%1,104$92,083$317,300$246 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Star Prairie, WI 54026 93%202$95,833$342,200$277 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Becket, MA 01223 92%1,166$86,818$363,600$258 Very close on everything we compare
Sanbornton, NH 03269 92%1,208$107,083$450,000$319 pricier homes ($74K more) · younger residents
New Durham, NH 03855 92%1,232$100,194$339,400$450 cheaper homes ($37K less)
East Haddam, CT 06423 92%1,225$107,549$373,700$306 larger
Barto, PA 19504 92%1,113$98,859$388,300$225 larger
Freeland, MD 21053 92%1,087$89,497$408,300$238 pricier homes ($32K more)
Galena, MD 21635 92%1,138$101,618$402,000$258 pricier homes ($26K more)
Earleville, MD 21919 92%1,132$106,500$373,200$224 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Charles, IA 50240 92%398$107,563$305,800$288 cheaper homes ($71K less)
Kansasville, WI 53139 92%482$99,635$305,500$285 cheaper homes ($71K less)
Springville, CA 93265 92%1,381$99,350$467,700$223 pricier homes ($91K more)
Temple, NH 03084 91%1,213$94,107$401,000$293 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Bradford, NH 03221 91%1,197$109,803$325,400$337 cheaper homes ($51K less) · older homes
Center Barnstead, NH 03225 91%1,229$111,660$368,400$327 Very close on everything we compare
Hampton, CT 06247 91%1,232$108,854$293,000$263 cheaper homes ($83K less)
Voluntown, CT 06384 91%1,247$106,518$354,900$311 Very close on everything we compare
Athens, NY 12015 91%1,135$91,845$306,300$226 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Ghent, NY 12075 91%1,142$98,047$422,900$253 pricier homes ($47K 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.