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 Lucinda, PA 16235

Lucinda: median income $77,798, home value $209,000, $32/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Nashua, MT 59248 92%1,397$89,821$216,000— older residents
Salisbury, MO 65281 92%718$73,705$185,300$39 larger
Mead, NE 68041 91%888$74,000$251,300— pricier homes ($42K more)
Sweetser, IN 46987 88%337$80,893$152,500— cheaper homes ($57K less)
Schleswig, IA 51461 87%829$73,768$183,100— cheaper homes ($26K less) · more renters
Frankfort, KS 66427 87%906$79,481$133,600— cheaper homes ($75K less)
Alma, NE 68920 86%1,048$80,938$166,700— cheaper homes ($42K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Bertrand, NE 68927 86%1,053$69,167$183,700— cheaper homes ($25K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Indiahoma, OK 73552 86%1,148$85,500$152,900— cheaper homes ($56K less) · newer homes
Pine Level, NC 27568 85%405$66,071$230,800— Very close on everything we compare
New Riegel, OH 44853 85%206$90,281$156,100— cheaper homes ($53K less)
Waverly, KS 66871 85%883$71,094$145,100— cheaper homes ($64K less)
Manassa, CO 81141 85%1,443$59,539$202,500— newer homes
Odebolt, IA 51458 84%819$86,250$149,400— cheaper homes ($60K less)
Arpin, WI 54410 84%583$84,135$213,200— larger · newer homes
Genoa, WI 54632 84%619$82,500$236,100— pricier homes ($27K more) · 7 min longer commute
Newfolden, MN 56738 84%955$71,250$187,200— newer homes
Arlington, SD 57212 84%919$93,750$238,100— pricier homes ($29K more)
Edgemont, SD 57735 84%1,252$71,576$165,600— cheaper homes ($43K less) · more renters
Bloomdale, OH 44817 83%218$64,565$159,900$52 cheaper homes ($49K less)
West Bend, IA 50597 83%780$92,000$179,700— cheaper homes ($29K less) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Bryant, WI 54418 83%553$80,000$195,100— newer homes
Mendon, IL 62351 83%629$77,298$147,800$48 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Tilden, NE 68781 83%951$67,212$171,700— cheaper homes ($37K less)
Pleasanton, NE 68866 83%1,026$94,792$262,300— pricier homes ($53K more) · newer 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.