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 Jay, NY 12941

Jay: median income $68,625, home value $208,500, $234/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Central Lake, MI 49622 94%568$70,098$234,400$278 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger
Shaftsbury, VT 05262 93%101$71,417$253,600$208 pricier homes ($45K more)
Irma, WI 54442 93%782$64,779$229,800$209 Very close on everything we compare
Falls, PA 18615 92%228$76,184$229,100$253 Very close on everything we compare
Montville, OH 44064 91%417$73,750$242,700$166 pricier homes ($34K more)
Panora, IA 50216 91%1,056$79,635$228,600$261 larger
Orr, MN 55771 91%948$67,667$169,100$260 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Centertown, MO 65023 91%1,042$72,663$221,200$193 5 min shorter commute
Whitefield, ME 04353 90%206$73,875$242,300$247 pricier homes ($34K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Dinwiddie, VA 23841 90%542$70,670$247,900$256 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Liberty, TN 37095 90%865$64,792$189,200$212 Very close on everything we compare
New Harmony, IN 47631 90%853$66,058$197,100$191 Very close on everything we compare
Harshaw, WI 54529 90%782$72,000$268,100$311 pricier homes ($60K more)
Mason, WI 54856 90%855$76,500$193,800$221 5 min shorter commute
Bonnots Mill, MO 65016 90%1,022$78,750$269,400— pricier homes ($61K more)
Sutton, AK 99674 90%3,131$63,688$233,800$269 pricier homes ($25K more)
Lovell, ME 04051 89%139$80,625$295,000$233 pricier homes ($87K more)
Livermore, ME 04253 89%173$70,441$221,800$242 Very close on everything we compare
Mount Vernon, ME 04352 89%184$74,395$264,200$207 pricier homes ($56K more)
Newfane, VT 05345 89%110$67,472$277,700$231 pricier homes ($69K more)
Hop Bottom, PA 18824 89%213$72,250$173,600$176 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Lancaster, VA 22503 89%481$74,051$272,000$211 pricier homes ($64K more) · larger
Austinburg, OH 44010 89%403$80,455$223,300$173 Very close on everything we compare
Rudyard, MI 49780 89%553$69,375$155,700$257 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Rosholt, WI 54473 89%768$80,038$244,600$201 pricier homes ($36K 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.