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 Climax Springs, MO 65324

Climax Springs: median income $52,969, home value $311,300, $235/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mountain, WI 54149 90%540$50,250$207,500$245 cheaper homes ($104K less)
Drummond Island, MI 49726 88%719$67,232$273,200— cheaper homes ($38K less)
Longville, MN 56655 88%617$57,404$335,200$377 Very close on everything we compare
Austin, CO 81410 88%813$67,826$366,700$213 pricier homes ($55K more)
Lottsburg, VA 22511 87%894$48,988$342,600$252 pricier homes ($31K more) · more renters
Mercer, WI 54547 87%574$63,500$306,600$296 Very close on everything we compare
Phelps, WI 54554 87%582$63,750$247,300$289 cheaper homes ($64K less) · younger residents
Lake Tomahawk, WI 54539 86%557$62,841$282,200$246 cheaper homes ($29K less) · younger residents
Council, ID 83612 86%1,294$54,810$309,600$257 larger · 6 min shorter commute
Conover, WI 54519 85%578$59,628$271,600$271 cheaper homes ($40K less) · younger residents
Millersburg, MI 49759 83%679$56,944$181,300$206 cheaper homes ($130K less)
Trego, WI 54888 83%543$63,971$240,500$249 cheaper homes ($71K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Akeley, MN 56433 83%619$58,889$228,500$185 cheaper homes ($83K less) · larger · younger residents
Hackensack, MN 56452 83%616$62,941$352,700$300 pricier homes ($41K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Bigfork, MN 56628 83%665$61,250$244,700$189 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger · younger residents
Seeley Lake, MT 59868 82%1,210$51,490$391,600$403 pricier homes ($80K more) · larger · newer homes
Lakeside, OR 97449 82%1,663$66,000$316,700$272 larger
Berrien Center, MI 49102 81%440$63,000$262,400$148 cheaper homes ($49K less) · younger residents
Watersmeet, MI 49969 81%592$67,188$247,300$364 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Pittsburg, NH 03592 80%1,209$61,094$279,500$293 cheaper homes ($32K less) · 9 min longer commute
Morris Chapel, TN 38361 80%323$60,097$162,800$202 cheaper homes ($149K less)
Mears, MI 49436 80%511$67,279$255,000$285 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger · younger residents
Cable, WI 54821 80%565$57,813$321,400$268 larger · 7 min longer commute
Raphine, VA 24472 79%747$51,429$251,000$268 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger · younger residents
Cook, MN 55723 79%671$64,526$189,700$307 cheaper homes ($122K less) · 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.