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 Garretson, SD 57030

Garretson: median income $79,375, home value $327,400, $214/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Monmouth, ME 04259 96%1,312$83,919$298,300$208 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Big Timber, MT 59011 95%674$78,000$328,100$211 Very close on everything we compare
Bernardston, MA 01337 94%1,204$85,045$338,800$233 Very close on everything we compare
New Haven, VT 05472 94%1,158$92,537$378,000$217 pricier homes ($51K more)
Saxonburg, PA 16056 94%876$75,893$302,000$239 cheaper homes ($25K less) · larger
Hamilton, IN 46742 94%609$78,750$250,500$199 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Cascade Locks, OR 97014 94%1,247$75,000$387,700$246 pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller
Lenhartsville, PA 19534 93%1,077$80,357$293,100$204 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Trappe, MD 21673 93%1,117$68,194$363,100$205 pricier homes ($36K more)
Mathews, VA 23109 93%1,140$79,196$310,800$187 Very close on everything we compare
Pelican Rapids, MN 56572 93%200$79,475$298,800$226 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger
Walpole, NH 03608 92%1,207$88,224$355,600$219 pricier homes ($28K more)
Wiscasset, ME 04578 92%1,331$81,063$327,400$234 larger
Freehold, NY 12431 92%1,134$80,694$262,500$265 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Millerton, NY 12546 92%1,167$84,455$313,300$313 Very close on everything we compare
Spring Mills, PA 16875 92%986$71,250$307,700$211 Very close on everything we compare
Lake Waccamaw, NC 28450 92%1,160$69,554$264,200$213 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Black Earth, WI 53515 92%343$92,625$361,300$218 pricier homes ($34K more)
Mazomanie, WI 53560 92%341$98,409$358,000$228 pricier homes ($31K more)
Spring Green, WI 53588 92%326$83,417$292,300$232 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger · older residents
Deerwood, MN 56444 92%228$77,500$365,200$238 pricier homes ($38K more)
Brownsville, OR 97327 92%1,308$81,267$396,200$241 pricier homes ($69K more)
Waldoboro, ME 04572 91%1,345$69,107$274,900$192 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger
Sharon, VT 05065 91%1,198$86,042$341,200$252 smaller
Milton, NY 12547 91%1,150$88,778$377,200$255 pricier homes ($50K 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.