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 Friendship, NY 14739

Friendship: median income $57,794, home value $78,600, $86/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Clay City, IL 62824 94%589$61,591$102,100$85 smaller
Houlka, MS 38850 93%816$52,807$84,700— Very close on everything we compare
Foreman, AR 71836 93%1,059$51,271$90,500$81 Very close on everything we compare
Rector, AR 72461 93%767$53,893$99,300$88 Very close on everything we compare
Hamlin, WV 25523 92%341$66,563$86,600$95 Very close on everything we compare
Shelburn, IN 47879 91%527$54,750$93,500$102 Very close on everything we compare
Kinmundy, IL 62854 91%609$63,587$101,500$67 Very close on everything we compare
Bloomfield, MO 63825 91%727$52,414$96,600$109 larger
Mc Cool, MS 39108 90%872$51,938$75,400— newer homes
Carrier Mills, IL 62917 90%637$50,119$73,400$73 older residents
Sedan, KS 67361 90%1,019$53,917$64,400— smaller · older homes
Shinglehouse, PA 16748 89%16$61,250$104,000$71 pricier homes ($25K more)
Arlington, KY 42021 89%689$56,477$94,800$71 smaller
Sturgis, KY 42459 89%613$51,563$96,600$105 Very close on everything we compare
Flora, IL 62839 89%596$53,685$84,300$87 larger
Buncombe, IL 62912 89%661$63,750$108,500$96 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller
Princeton, MO 64673 89%810$61,364$101,600$72 Very close on everything we compare
Haven, KS 67543 89%1,078$64,219$113,300$104 pricier homes ($35K more)
Apache, OK 73006 89%1,200$51,563$91,900$111 5 min longer commute
Wilson, OK 73463 89%1,183$55,833$109,100$107 pricier homes ($31K more) · 5 min longer commute
Quapaw, OK 74363 89%954$55,524$113,700$103 pricier homes ($35K more)
Maud, OK 74854 89%1,114$61,875$96,500$82 Very close on everything we compare
Pineland, TX 75968 89%1,155$53,355$89,100— smaller · 7 min longer commute
Charleston, WV 25315 88%327$55,083$90,200$98 older homes
Guin, AL 35563 88%777$52,576$116,900$91 pricier homes ($38K more)

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.