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 Valley Falls, NY 12185

Valley Falls: median income $110,625, home value $210,900, $182/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Diamond, OH 44412 91%404$102,726$282,300$168 pricier homes ($71K more) · larger
Dansville, MI 48819 91%546$110,833$254,500$156 pricier homes ($44K more)
Germantown, IL 62245 91%888$91,767$204,500$160 Very close on everything we compare
Chaplin, CT 06235 90%104$98,059$256,300$272 pricier homes ($45K more)
Metamora, OH 43540 90%537$119,583$259,300$167 pricier homes ($48K more) · younger residents
Centerpoint, IN 47840 90%744$102,991$170,000$151 cheaper homes ($41K less) · younger residents
Monroe Center, IL 61052 90%789$91,797$225,700$174 Very close on everything we compare
Fisher, IL 61843 90%785$97,943$192,200$155 younger residents
Albers, IL 62215 90%892$107,727$204,700$127 Very close on everything we compare
Sturgeon, MO 65284 90%1,007$97,434$216,500$210 younger residents
Lecompton, KS 66050 90%1,170$91,979$263,200$227 pricier homes ($52K more)
Perry, KS 66073 90%1,165$86,641$216,600$179 Very close on everything we compare
Somerville, OH 45064 89%619$102,531$240,200$152 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger
Fillmore, IN 46128 89%720$86,466$209,300$200 Very close on everything we compare
Dexter, IA 50070 89%1,060$92,083$213,300$174 older homes
Maxwell, IA 50161 89%1,013$98,519$256,500$135 pricier homes ($46K more)
Arena, WI 53503 89%827$87,361$239,900$198 pricier homes ($29K more)
Poplar, WI 54864 89%930$91,250$242,100$182 pricier homes ($31K more) · more homeowners
Danvers, IL 61732 89%822$107,941$224,400$129 Very close on everything we compare
Weston, OR 97886 89%2,195$92,955$252,500$204 pricier homes ($42K more)
Huntington, MA 01050 88%55$95,882$289,500$176 pricier homes ($79K more) · older homes
Prosperity, PA 15329 88%400$92,917$237,500— pricier homes ($27K more)
Millerstown, PA 17062 88%245$90,893$233,000$209 larger
Sedley, VA 23878 88%460$87,077$219,900$174 Very close on everything we compare
Sutherland, VA 23885 88%447$103,849$283,900$208 pricier homes ($73K more) · larger

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.