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 Cowansville, PA 16218

Cowansville: median income $71,000, home value $196,400, $42/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Frankfort, ME 04438 90%597$80,000$211,300— 5 min longer commute
Stuart, OK 74570 90%992$57,131$163,000— cheaper homes ($33K less)
Genoa, WI 54632 88%618$82,500$236,100— pricier homes ($40K more)
Newfolden, MN 56738 88%962$71,250$187,200— younger residents
Energy, IL 62933 87%548$67,794$156,100$51 cheaper homes ($40K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Collinston, LA 71229 87%884$83,125$155,900$36 cheaper homes ($41K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Chamois, MO 65024 86%665$68,438$161,600$47 cheaper homes ($35K less) · more single-family homes
Indiahoma, OK 73552 85%1,129$85,500$152,900— cheaper homes ($44K less)
Lowman, NY 14861 84%170$64,904$149,100— cheaper homes ($47K less)
Sandyville, WV 25275 84%177$64,632$164,600— cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · younger residents
Garfield, GA 30425 84%588$73,889$209,700— younger residents
Edgemont, SD 57735 84%1,248$71,576$165,600— cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger · younger residents
Thayer, KS 66776 84%882$57,304$136,100— cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger
Earlton, NY 12058 83%310$85,469$273,500— pricier homes ($77K more)
Stony Creek, VA 23882 83%299$63,030$155,000$65 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger
Colerain, NC 27924 83%359$72,469$137,100$43 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger
Ivanhoe, NC 28447 83%442$77,134$241,300— pricier homes ($45K more) · larger · older residents
Bryant, WI 54418 83%559$80,000$195,100— more single-family homes
Badger, MN 56714 83%971$70,962$157,100— cheaper homes ($39K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Lamoure, ND 58458 83%1,008$73,250$172,300— 7 min shorter commute · older homes
Pilot Grove, MO 65276 83%720$78,958$186,300— larger · younger residents
Ama, LA 70031 83%967$73,359$218,600$63 younger residents
Cedarville, AR 72932 83%881$59,740$165,000— cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Toomsuba, MS 39364 82%765$65,294$165,900— cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Allen, MI 49227 82%277$53,587$159,000— cheaper homes ($37K less)

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.