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 Shingletown, CA 96088

Shingletown: median income $65,958, home value $292,000, $202/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Neshkoro, WI 54960 92%1,677$66,625$233,900$262 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Isle, MN 56342 92%1,472$63,295$246,500$269 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller
Danbury, WI 54830 91%1,527$66,941$267,400$229 Very close on everything we compare
Ridgeway, SC 29130 90%2,267$63,963$265,500$273 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Charles City, VA 23030 89%2,390$81,250$253,700$206 cheaper homes ($38K less) · younger residents
Prospect, TN 38477 88%1,928$60,542$223,200$182 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller · younger residents
Holcombe, WI 54745 88%1,581$67,891$255,200$252 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Free Soil, MI 49411 87%1,823$61,857$239,400$235 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller
Finlayson, MN 55735 87%1,497$63,827$271,200$284 smaller · younger residents
Mcgregor, MN 55760 87%1,483$59,474$274,600$276 Very close on everything we compare
Valley, WA 99181 87%565$63,661$267,600$218 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Westfield, NC 27053 86%2,242$67,974$224,500$180 cheaper homes ($68K less) · younger residents
Ten Mile, TN 37880 86%2,036$65,208$215,900$258 cheaper homes ($76K less) · younger residents
Freetown, IN 47235 86%1,890$73,963$240,300$182 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller
Hancock, WI 54943 86%1,661$62,500$207,100$250 cheaper homes ($85K less) · smaller
Yantis, TX 75497 86%1,544$56,205$212,800$212 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Alstead, NH 03602 85%2,521$70,455$279,400$216 smaller
Warriors Mark, PA 16877 85%2,273$68,500$307,700— smaller
Wirtz, VA 24184 85%2,259$68,909$228,100$226 cheaper homes ($64K less) · younger residents
Lowgap, NC 27024 85%2,219$62,813$188,600$191 cheaper homes ($103K less) · smaller
Rising Fawn, GA 30738 85%2,014$66,080$284,700$224 younger residents
Dunnellon, FL 34431 85%2,344$56,534$215,500$180 cheaper homes ($77K less) · larger · younger residents
Lillian, AL 36549 85%2,043$63,019$216,200$161 cheaper homes ($76K less) · more apartments and townhomes
East China, MI 48054 85%2,019$83,241$301,400$199 larger · younger residents
Cushing, MN 56443 85%1,417$71,310$341,200$201 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller

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.