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 Castle Creek, NY 13744

Castle Creek: median income $61,086, home value $120,000, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Madison, MO 65263 94%873$56,211$121,000$125 larger
Mount Calm, TX 76673 94%1,361$63,750$115,300$120 Very close on everything we compare
Rothbury, MI 49452 93%535$55,441$123,100$204 larger
Ewing, MO 63440 93%836$60,217$147,500$236 pricier homes ($28K more)
Paden, OK 74860 93%1,201$60,398$138,500$189 Very close on everything we compare
Bluford, IL 62814 92%728$59,462$121,300— Very close on everything we compare
Higbee, MO 65257 92%891$54,911$98,900$175 Very close on everything we compare
Lead Hill, AR 72644 92%997$53,894$109,500$146 larger
Atlantic, PA 16111 91%231$70,074$162,300— pricier homes ($42K more)
Jack, AL 36346 91%923$56,458$151,800$115 pricier homes ($32K more) · older residents
Ethel, MS 39067 91%971$67,250$98,200— Very close on everything we compare
Leavenworth, IN 47137 91%619$65,505$133,400$141 Very close on everything we compare
Galatia, IL 62935 91%738$60,238$105,400$144 larger
Maud, OK 74854 91%1,224$61,875$96,500$82 larger
Ernul, NC 28527 90%488$74,190$120,800$244 older residents
Campbellsburg, IN 47108 90%596$59,236$122,900$181 larger
Tennyson, IN 47637 90%657$61,298$146,300$35 pricier homes ($26K more) · older residents
Fairchild, WI 54741 90%773$62,679$166,700$176 pricier homes ($47K more)
Iuka, IL 62849 90%721$60,789$87,800$59 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger
Buncombe, IL 62912 90%767$63,750$108,500$96 5 min shorter commute
Macks Creek, MO 65786 90%947$61,136$162,100$125 pricier homes ($42K more) · larger
Harrisonville, PA 17228 89%194$67,438$172,000$114 pricier homes ($52K more)
Frametown, WV 26623 89%361$60,761$100,500— Very close on everything we compare
Toone, TN 38381 89%847$51,313$110,000$134 Very close on everything we compare
Lamar, MS 38642 89%882$59,388$143,200$162 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.