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 Medical Lake, WA 99022

Medical Lake: median income $93,812, home value $389,700, $245/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210 96%2,203$90,013$370,500$283 larger
East Helena, MT 59635 95%282$83,740$395,600$277 Very close on everything we compare
East Troy, WI 53120 94%1,455$96,345$336,300$260 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Prairie Du Sac, WI 53578 94%1,380$105,610$347,000$226 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Manchester, NH 03109 93%2,239$108,144$387,900$305 Very close on everything we compare
Prescott, WI 54021 93%1,205$97,321$365,300$198 Very close on everything we compare
Creswell, OR 97426 93%363$90,125$488,000$284 pricier homes ($98K more)
Lake Mills, WI 53551 92%1,424$94,401$357,400$229 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Stoughton, WI 53589 92%1,414$96,226$341,000$241 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger
Chisago City, MN 55013 92%1,185$109,063$397,400$239 Very close on everything we compare
Penrose, CO 81240 92%900$90,417$341,400$244 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller
Gray, ME 04039 91%2,262$95,125$357,500$270 cheaper homes ($32K less)
New Gloucester, ME 04260 91%2,262$108,797$357,100$257 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller
Bristol, VT 05443 91%2,130$88,594$356,600$238 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Dillsburg, PA 17019 91%2,066$94,423$299,300$196 cheaper homes ($90K less) · larger
Swansboro, NC 28584 91%2,260$87,414$339,200$221 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Piney Flats, TN 37686 91%1,951$84,264$352,200$211 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Pleasant Hill, IA 50327 91%1,254$98,333$314,400$215 cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger · newer homes
Elkhorn, WI 53121 91%1,451$85,643$313,500$222 cheaper homes ($76K less) · larger
Sauk City, WI 53583 91%1,380$97,286$344,000$227 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller · older homes
Cold Spring, MN 56320 91%1,112$87,026$353,600$168 cheaper homes ($36K less)
South Berwick, ME 03908 90%2,260$98,289$425,700$274 pricier homes ($36K more)
Valatie, NY 12184 90%2,150$98,622$355,200$276 cheaper homes ($35K less) · older homes
Hampton, VA 23664 90%2,207$87,412$285,600$216 cheaper homes ($104K less)
Adel, IA 50003 90%1,230$103,114$395,400$256 Very close on everything we compare

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.