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 Lansing, NY 14882

Lansing: median income $91,960, home value $318,700, $214/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Montague, MA 01351 95%204$98,229$346,900$247 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Le Claire, IA 52753 91%711$103,813$328,700$215 Very close on everything we compare
Lake Mills, WI 53551 90%628$94,401$357,400$229 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger · more walkable
Prescott, WI 54021 89%823$97,321$365,300$198 pricier homes ($47K more) · larger
Wrightstown, WI 54180 89%596$94,375$286,200$220 cheaper homes ($33K less) · newer homes
South Berwick, ME 03908 88%295$98,289$425,700$274 pricier homes ($107K more) · larger
Broad Brook, CT 06016 88%209$120,399$335,400$225 higher income ($28K more) · larger
Story City, IA 50248 88%870$100,864$239,600$155 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Cross Plains, WI 53528 88%664$106,823$436,100$232 pricier homes ($117K more)
Genesee, ID 83832 88%1,985$91,250$352,800$219 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller
Waterbury, VT 05676 87%225$92,773$380,800$269 pricier homes ($62K more) · more walkable
Mansfield Center, CT 06250 87%229$99,000$324,800$219 Very close on everything we compare
Clinton, PA 15026 87%242$115,556$276,400$204 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Alburtis, PA 18011 87%150$104,449$296,300$206 Very close on everything we compare
Winterville, GA 30683 87%698$88,198$273,600$196 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
Deerfield, WI 53531 87%636$105,000$353,300$219 pricier homes ($35K more)
Gray, ME 04039 86%325$95,125$357,500$270 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger
Hampden, ME 04444 86%411$106,554$293,000$200 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger
Willington, CT 06279 86%224$91,114$305,800$233 Very close on everything we compare
Zelienople, PA 16063 86%223$95,893$339,000$246 larger · more walkable
New Concord, OH 43762 86%323$80,709$241,500$168 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Nunica, MI 49448 86%486$86,458$301,300$233 more homeowners
Evansville, WI 53536 86%647$87,667$304,900$209 larger
Bellville, TX 77418 86%1,395$90,611$344,400$174 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger
Penrose, CO 81240 86%1,516$90,417$341,400$244 Very close on everything we compare

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.