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 Eagle River, AK 99577

Eagle River: median income $136,900, home value $437,000, $262/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Severn, MD 21144 94%3,346$136,684$483,700$239 pricier homes ($47K more)
Swedesboro, NJ 08085 90%3,356$134,762$384,500$225 cheaper homes ($53K less) · newer homes
Layton, UT 84040 90%2,095$128,365$542,500$210 pricier homes ($106K more)
Gorham, ME 04038 89%3,302$112,312$460,900$301 smaller · older residents
Sussex, WI 53089 89%2,751$120,875$418,900$248 older residents
Cottage Grove, MN 55016 89%2,507$120,715$377,700$202 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Rosemount, MN 55068 89%2,506$127,798$395,900$198 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Savage, MN 55378 89%2,498$124,871$430,900$189 Very close on everything we compare
Merrimack, NH 03054 88%3,312$127,303$458,700$264 older residents
Pickerington, OH 43147 88%3,104$126,534$348,300$185 cheaper homes ($89K less) · larger
Prior Lake, MN 55372 88%2,498$145,499$467,400$206 pricier homes ($30K more) · older residents
Littleton, CO 80128 88%2,390$121,436$586,000$269 pricier homes ($149K more) · older residents
Tyngsboro, MA 01879 87%3,326$129,348$552,500$331 pricier homes ($116K more) · smaller · older residents
Arnold, MD 21012 87%3,357$139,432$563,800$270 pricier homes ($127K more)
Midlothian, VA 23112 87%3,407$116,465$398,400$225 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger · older residents
Virginia Beach, VA 23456 87%3,499$130,533$474,700$251 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger · older residents
Hudsonville, MI 49426 87%2,842$112,234$371,200$214 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Cottage Grove, WI 53527 87%2,722$133,883$444,700$238 smaller · older residents · newer homes
Farmington, MN 55024 87%2,509$127,280$378,700$192 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Waconia, MN 55387 87%2,479$114,511$440,300$215 smaller · older residents
West Richland, WA 99353 87%1,583$121,845$450,500$271 newer homes
Plain City, OH 43064 86%3,076$139,591$461,900$230 smaller · newer homes
Waukesha, WI 53189 86%2,758$117,008$406,200$243 cheaper homes ($31K less) · older residents
Deforest, WI 53532 86%2,708$110,022$371,600$227 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller
Hudson, WI 54016 86%2,507$113,085$452,000$224 older 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.