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 Freeland, WA 98249

Freeland: median income $99,519, home value $627,400, $404/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Kewadin, MI 49648 97%1,764$93,272$633,500$414 smaller
Bend, OR 97707 94%293$85,272$647,600$432 larger
Harpswell, ME 04079 91%2,495$91,969$612,400$500 Very close on everything we compare
Corrales, NM 87048 91%1,204$102,004$574,000$319 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger
Kure Beach, NC 28449 89%2,480$107,563$759,700$410 pricier homes ($132K more) · smaller
Cotuit, MA 02635 88%2,542$110,197$683,600$490 pricier homes ($56K more)
Edisto Island, SC 29438 88%2,432$86,979$642,400$452 5 min shorter commute
Grand Lake, CO 80447 88%985$96,000$632,400$444 smaller
Moultonborough, NH 03254 87%2,434$106,440$641,300$374 8 min shorter commute
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 87%2,447$94,349$548,600$347 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Suttons Bay, MI 49682 87%1,752$97,813$396,500$369 cheaper homes ($231K less)
Bigfork, MT 59911 87%392$83,019$666,400$456 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Meadow Vista, CA 95722 87%629$125,625$697,800$369 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($70K more)
Sandwich, MA 02563 86%2,538$121,455$617,800$441 larger
Harwich, MA 02645 86%2,557$104,401$648,200$483 larger · 6 min shorter commute
Yarmouth Port, MA 02675 86%2,549$110,450$607,900$424 larger · 6 min shorter commute
Newbury, NH 03255 86%2,418$117,045$465,000$416 cheaper homes ($162K less) · smaller · younger residents
Union Hall, VA 24176 86%2,279$98,250$627,000$332 smaller · more homeowners
Black Hawk, CO 80422 86%1,019$95,625$588,800$342 cheaper homes ($39K less) · younger residents
Ridgway, CO 81432 86%1,010$90,882$836,200$527 pricier homes ($209K more)
Saint Michaels, MD 21663 85%2,374$89,775$650,500$438 7 min shorter commute
Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 85%2,499$120,662$677,600$403 pricier homes ($50K more) · larger
Saugatuck, MI 49453 85%1,789$110,139$490,600$404 cheaper homes ($137K less) · younger residents
Sisters, OR 97759 85%262$102,734$777,700$425 pricier homes ($150K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Afton, VA 22920 84%2,282$88,028$410,000$311 cheaper homes ($217K less) · 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.