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 Johnson, VT 05656

Johnson: median income $55,133, home value $169,400, $228/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Livermore Falls, ME 04254 78%125$45,843$147,500$192 older residents
Justice, IL 60458 76%788$60,758$225,000$193 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger
Kiamesha Lake, NY 12751 71%228$53,549$159,500$166 smaller · younger residents · less walkable
Keene, TX 76059 71%1,569$51,401$237,900$163 pricier homes ($69K more) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Cobleskill, NY 12043 70%163$64,583$186,000$150 larger · older residents · more single-family homes
Chicago Ridge, IL 60415 70%787$68,964$226,900$189 pricier homes ($58K more) · larger · more walkable
Ashland, NH 03217 69%83$54,607$227,000$265 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller · older residents
Farmington, ME 04938 68%125$55,704$172,500$211 larger · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Tampa, FL 33637 68%1,266$63,323$229,200$200 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Wagener, SC 29164 67%891$49,440$177,400$186 more homeowners · more single-family homes · less walkable
West Haverstraw, NY 10993 65%246$66,189$303,200$294 pricier homes ($134K more) · older residents · older homes
Austell, GA 30168 65%983$64,059$241,700$178 pricier homes ($72K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Warsaw, KY 41095 65%746$66,905$180,700$149 7 min shorter commute · more single-family homes · less walkable
Kansas City, MO 64163 65%1,184$59,511$213,100$222 pricier homes ($44K more) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Mojave, CA 93501 65%2,469$56,737$196,100$213 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger · more renters
Oakwood, GA 30566 64%934$66,456$287,300$186 pricier homes ($118K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Varnville, SC 29944 63%931$59,620$112,100$159 cheaper homes ($57K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Atlanta, GA 30354 63%982$63,189$273,700$199 pricier homes ($104K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Crescent City, FL 32112 63%1,158$39,890$152,300$226 larger · older residents
Lake Alfred, FL 33850 63%1,248$61,622$225,100$184 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger · older residents
Indiantown, FL 34956 63%1,289$64,526$217,000$225 pricier homes ($48K more) · larger · more homeowners
University Park, IL 60484 63%790$73,266$154,600$111 larger · 6 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Wilmer, TX 75172 63%1,531$59,457$165,500$170 larger · newer homes
Nice, CA 95464 63%2,567$61,705$155,100$209 older residents · more single-family homes · more walkable
Warren, MA 01083 62%170$64,032$364,800$278 pricier homes ($195K more) · more single-family homes · less walkable

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.