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 Lakewood, NY 14750

Lakewood: median income $66,622, home value $167,500, $166/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Wyoming, PA 18644 96%187$70,026$179,200$159 larger
Old Forge, PA 18518 94%192$71,812$174,400$148 larger
Lancaster, NH 03584 91%424$66,768$209,500$163 pricier homes ($42K more)
Olyphant, PA 18447 90%197$66,677$207,900$150 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
Concordia, MO 64020 90%778$59,269$201,500$138 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller
Redfield, SD 57469 89%978$66,111$152,900$125 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Princeton, IL 61356 89%523$68,243$152,900$128 larger
Steubenville, OH 43953 88%139$74,107$149,700$167 larger · 5 min longer commute
Hermitage, PA 16148 87%83$70,490$197,900$154 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger
Pittston, PA 18643 87%187$63,125$174,500$128 larger
Wilton, IA 52778 87%602$82,623$202,200$158 pricier homes ($35K more)
Harborcreek, PA 16421 86%32$64,091$224,200$184 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller
Pittston, PA 18641 86%193$75,708$151,700$154 Very close on everything we compare
Towanda, PA 18848 86%149$59,861$175,200$128 larger
Columbiana, OH 44408 86%110$74,028$208,000$179 pricier homes ($41K more) · larger
Loudonville, OH 44842 86%181$72,737$206,700$156 pricier homes ($39K more)
Bluffton, OH 45817 86%251$76,848$210,100$173 pricier homes ($43K more) · younger residents
Manchester, IA 52057 86%620$69,635$184,300$142 larger
Randolph, VT 05060 85%360$77,317$255,500$200 pricier homes ($88K more)
New Stanton, PA 15672 85%131$66,840$240,000$153 pricier homes ($73K more) · younger residents
Johnstown, PA 15904 85%128$67,394$176,200$124 larger
Sharpsville, PA 16150 85%82$56,334$148,200$147 larger
Williamsport, PA 17702 85%133$70,210$196,900$146 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · younger residents
Hughesville, PA 17737 85%147$70,131$203,800$138 pricier homes ($36K more) · 5 min longer commute
Peckville, PA 18452 85%197$56,438$203,100$175 pricier homes ($36K more) · older homes

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.