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 Fort Calhoun, NE 68023

Fort Calhoun: median income $116,287, home value $389,600, $333/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Voluntown, CT 06384 94%1,247$106,518$354,900$311 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Madison Lake, MN 56063 93%222$102,391$416,300$297 pricier homes ($27K more)
Chichester, NH 03258 92%1,259$108,906$410,100$271 Very close on everything we compare
Galena, MD 21635 92%1,068$101,618$402,000$258 Very close on everything we compare
Templeton, MA 01468 90%1,229$113,427$384,500$271 larger · more homeowners
Fremont, NH 03044 90%1,275$120,781$416,900$325 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Sanbornton, NH 03269 90%1,249$107,083$450,000$319 pricier homes ($60K more) · younger residents
Newton, NH 03858 89%1,279$138,487$459,500$290 pricier homes ($70K more) · larger
Cambridge, VT 05444 89%1,186$106,088$366,400$248 smaller
Columbia, CT 06237 89%1,223$127,000$361,500$243 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Hickman, TN 38567 89%657$100,368$340,500— cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller
Dousman, WI 53118 89%402$108,772$372,600$274 larger
Eagle, WI 53119 89%400$117,759$416,500$292 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger · more homeowners
Brooklyn, WI 53521 89%354$108,036$391,100$263 younger residents
Hope Valley, RI 02832 88%1,254$105,976$432,300$270 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger · younger residents
Barnstead, NH 03218 88%1,265$112,500$346,900$335 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller
Center Barnstead, NH 03225 88%1,267$111,660$368,400$327 more homeowners
Loudon, NH 03307 88%1,256$107,226$365,400$268 larger
Hampton, CT 06247 88%1,234$108,854$293,000$263 cheaper homes ($97K less)
Troy, VA 22974 88%973$112,344$368,900$271 larger · younger residents
Saint Charles, IA 50240 88%115$107,563$305,800$288 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Barneveld, WI 53507 88%332$113,261$347,400$224 cheaper homes ($42K less) · younger residents
Welch, MN 55089 88%275$108,750$384,800$238 smaller · older homes
Lake Park, MN 56554 88%372$94,792$376,400$307 Very close on everything we compare
Park City, MT 59063 88%707$99,432$449,200$280 pricier homes ($60K more) · younger residents

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.