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 Athens, NY 12015

Athens: median income $91,845, home value $306,300, $226/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Readfield, ME 04355 94%244$86,504$326,400$223 Very close on everything we compare
Cambridge, WI 53523 94%773$102,188$345,300$219 pricier homes ($39K more)
Micanopy, FL 32667 93%1,000$81,659$258,300$197 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Normandy, TN 37360 93%818$87,782$266,000$240 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller
Manchester, MI 48158 93%523$94,784$312,200$190 larger
Troy, ID 83871 93%2,112$89,750$361,800$179 pricier homes ($56K more) · smaller
Wiscasset, ME 04578 92%240$81,063$327,400$234 Very close on everything we compare
Oley, PA 19547 92%165$89,948$357,900$213 pricier homes ($52K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Whites Creek, TN 37189 92%809$87,047$383,200$231 pricier homes ($77K more)
Alexandria, OH 43001 92%481$93,804$387,400$216 pricier homes ($81K more)
Cedar, MI 49621 92%626$95,446$396,600$278 pricier homes ($90K more)
Roland, AR 72135 92%1,129$102,500$319,200$221 more homeowners
Rumney, NH 03266 91%145$76,071$281,900$251 smaller
Lebanon, CT 06249 91%92$109,135$345,900$216 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
Columbia, NJ 07832 91%112$106,424$355,200$237 pricier homes ($49K more)
Harveys Lake, PA 18618 91%131$83,500$244,300$207 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Barto, PA 19504 91%159$98,859$388,300$225 pricier homes ($82K more)
Kempton, PA 19529 91%155$94,286$385,900$207 pricier homes ($80K more) · older homes
Galena, MD 21635 91%230$101,618$402,000$258 pricier homes ($96K more) · smaller
New Glarus, WI 53574 91%805$106,508$335,700$205 pricier homes ($29K more) · younger residents
Deerwood, MN 56444 91%1,029$77,500$365,200$238 pricier homes ($59K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Lake Park, MN 56554 91%1,135$94,792$376,400$307 pricier homes ($70K more)
Harrisburg, MO 65256 91%998$92,061$302,500$183 smaller
Epsom, NH 03234 90%141$97,941$338,400$251 pricier homes ($32K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Blue Grass, IA 52726 90%871$104,250$276,100$168 cheaper homes ($30K less)

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.