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 Andover, NY 14806

Andover: median income $74,688, home value $93,200, $65/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Martinsville, IL 62442 97%563$70,284$87,200— Very close on everything we compare
Villisca, IA 50864 96%891$69,861$109,900$67 Very close on everything we compare
Warsaw, IL 62379 93%719$62,200$103,200$56 Very close on everything we compare
Weedville, PA 15868 92%71$70,395$112,200— Very close on everything we compare
Bluffs, IL 62621 92%685$82,500$100,800$82 smaller
Johnsonburg, PA 15845 91%65$68,347$79,200— larger
Cerro Gordo, IL 61818 91%591$84,375$116,100$86 Very close on everything we compare
Selby, SD 57472 90%1,129$61,708$120,200$68 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Chatsworth, IL 60921 90%552$78,333$107,600$83 Very close on everything we compare
Milford, IL 60953 90%523$59,135$106,700$74 Very close on everything we compare
Wyoming, IL 61491 90%623$62,500$119,900$75 pricier homes ($27K more)
Mount Pulaski, IL 62548 90%617$73,312$119,400$66 pricier homes ($26K more) · older residents
Harvard, NE 68944 90%1,055$69,432$125,800— pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller
Cordell, OK 73632 90%1,232$72,571$114,600$74 larger
Lorenzo, TX 79343 90%1,414$58,906$119,800$63 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Laurens, IA 50554 89%869$63,802$82,800$68 Very close on everything we compare
Fontanelle, IA 50846 89%864$74,200$108,800— more renters
Clarkfield, MN 56223 89%920$71,667$110,000$74 younger residents
Beach, ND 58621 89%1,325$67,000$124,800$69 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
Mount Carroll, IL 61053 89%624$62,250$106,700$82 Very close on everything we compare
La Harpe, IL 61450 89%691$59,688$94,700$79 Very close on everything we compare
Henry, IL 61537 89%602$67,404$118,200$81 pricier homes ($25K more)
Bement, IL 61813 89%582$84,063$103,800$94 Very close on everything we compare
Wellsville, MO 63384 89%752$78,281$128,600$79 pricier homes ($35K more) · newer homes
Burrton, KS 67020 89%1,086$80,680$130,200$77 pricier homes ($37K more) · younger residents

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.