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.

Reset

Towns most like Bellows Falls, VT 05101

Bellows Falls: median income $70,299, home value $209,100, $139/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mobile, AL 36604 86%1,215$66,357$249,300$170 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
New Britain, CT 06052 85%104$80,506$260,000$179 pricier homes ($51K more) · larger
Oneida, NY 13421 85%161$65,752$162,000$136 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger · newer homes
Covington, KY 41016 85%688$71,172$173,500$185 cheaper homes ($36K less) · younger residents
Scranton, PA 18512 83%200$64,708$176,100$130 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger · younger residents
Cincinnati, OH 45218 83%681$71,000$179,900$137 cheaper homes ($29K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Adams, MA 01220 82%49$58,929$209,900$193 larger
Pittsburgh, PA 15223 82%426$61,083$166,300$160 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger · newer homes
Peckville, PA 18452 82%197$56,438$203,100$175 Very close on everything we compare
Scranton, PA 18519 82%203$58,500$181,000$142 cheaper homes ($28K less) · 7 min longer commute
Dayton, KY 41074 82%683$66,087$164,300$157 cheaper homes ($45K less) · younger residents
Cincinnati, OH 45217 81%683$62,200$171,300$128 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger · younger residents
Duluth, MN 55808 81%994$62,031$174,200$160 cheaper homes ($35K less) · younger residents
East Rochester, NY 14445 80%253$73,625$155,300$191 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · younger residents
Johnstown, NY 12095 79%97$69,469$168,700$131 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger · less walkable
New Orleans, LA 70121 79%1,334$59,562$247,900$175 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger · newer homes
Turners Falls, MA 01376 78%38$55,652$249,400$223 pricier homes ($40K more)
Buffalo, NY 14220 78%322$70,963$186,200$177 larger · younger residents
Pittsburgh, PA 15214 78%430$61,645$185,900$169 larger · younger residents · newer homes
Old Forge, PA 18518 78%208$71,812$174,400$148 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger · newer homes
Pittston, PA 18641 78%209$75,708$151,700$154 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger · less walkable
Wyoming, PA 18644 78%214$70,026$179,200$159 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · less walkable
Whiting, IN 46394 78%773$66,176$173,200$136 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · younger residents
Duluth, MN 55807 78%992$62,067$177,500$176 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · younger residents
Lancaster, NH 03584 77%103$66,768$209,500$163 less walkable · newer homes

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.