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 Hermosa, SD 57744

Hermosa: median income $106,250, home value $386,800, $270/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hunt, TX 78024 93%976$105,381$500,000$288 pricier homes ($113K more) · smaller
Silverlake, WA 98645 93%967$101,429$509,500$220 pricier homes ($123K more)
Salisbury, NH 03268 91%1,567$111,818$363,200$268 smaller · older homes
Middle Grove, NY 12850 91%1,457$92,083$317,300$246 cheaper homes ($70K less) · older homes
Bluff Dale, TX 76433 91%844$117,702$395,000$240 6 min longer commute
Bowdoinham, ME 04008 90%1,646$108,479$405,500$330 5 min shorter commute · older homes
Cambridge, VT 05444 90%1,494$106,088$366,400$248 younger residents
Lanexa, VA 23089 90%1,441$108,802$400,600$252 larger
Oregonia, OH 45054 90%1,032$99,583$296,200$226 cheaper homes ($91K less)
Cedar, MI 49621 90%861$95,446$396,600$278 Very close on everything we compare
Eagle, WI 53119 90%742$117,759$416,500$292 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger
Custer, WI 54423 90%684$113,690$329,100$239 cheaper homes ($58K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Roland, AR 72135 90%840$102,500$319,200$221 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Gordon, TX 76453 90%822$99,293$350,000$301 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller · older residents
Dunbarton, NH 03046 89%1,575$124,348$484,100$272 pricier homes ($97K more)
Waleska, GA 30183 89%1,192$94,567$451,100$235 pricier homes ($64K more) · larger
Helenville, WI 53137 89%731$116,550$366,200$251 Very close on everything we compare
Lake Park, MN 56554 89%404$94,792$376,400$307 older homes
Gilmanton Iron Works, NH 03837 88%1,586$119,712$409,600$286 smaller
Harbeson, DE 19951 88%1,489$95,546$472,400$261 pricier homes ($86K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Rockville, VA 23146 88%1,393$119,583$464,400$258 pricier homes ($78K more)
Suttons Bay, MI 49682 88%869$97,813$396,500$369 larger
Merrimac, WI 53561 88%679$91,103$427,600$251 pricier homes ($41K more) · older homes
Harrisburg, MO 65256 88%644$92,061$302,500$183 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Loudon, NH 03307 87%1,579$107,226$365,400$268 larger

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.