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 Houghton Lake, MI 48629

Houghton Lake: median income $56,520, home value $156,000, $192/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Crivitz, WI 54114 96%175$59,217$180,200$204 Very close on everything we compare
Lewiston, MI 49756 94%44$53,333$162,900$178 smaller
Au Gres, MI 48703 90%56$64,792$172,100$160 smaller
Friendship, WI 53934 90%251$48,782$166,100$176 smaller
Brookneal, VA 24528 89%586$58,343$140,000$204 smaller · younger residents
Centre, AL 35960 89%706$52,619$181,200$169 pricier homes ($25K more)
Roscommon, MI 48653 89%13$65,913$170,700$172 Very close on everything we compare
Hale, MI 48739 89%46$52,802$179,400$153 smaller
Crystal Falls, MI 49920 89%214$63,605$129,500$207 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Nekoosa, WI 54457 89%253$71,083$178,200$200 Very close on everything we compare
Wautoma, WI 54982 89%224$64,201$203,100$209 pricier homes ($47K more) · younger residents
Palacios, TX 77465 89%1,249$64,666$177,200$183 younger residents
Lincoln, ME 04457 88%798$56,645$146,300$171 younger residents
Gladwin, MI 48624 88%24$55,130$163,500$162 larger · younger residents
Wausaukee, WI 54177 88%170$62,991$166,800$208 smaller
Sebring, FL 33876 87%1,182$55,564$174,100$159 more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Mecosta, MI 49332 87%49$59,509$182,300$237 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller
Grayling, MI 49738 87%25$59,708$168,800$145 younger residents
Park Falls, WI 54552 87%298$61,317$150,700$116 smaller
Webster, WI 54893 87%384$56,129$234,200$220 pricier homes ($78K more) · smaller
Germanton, NC 27019 86%605$59,176$205,000$174 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller
Port Austin, MI 48467 86%90$53,750$172,500$189 smaller
Saint Helen, MI 48656 86%17$47,750$112,900$160 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller
West Branch, MI 48661 86%27$61,377$177,000$158 younger residents
Stanton, MI 48888 86%72$57,500$159,300$198 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.

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