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 Roulette, PA 16746

Roulette: median income $51,125, home value $94,400, $80/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Green Castle, MO 63544 90%774$44,167$109,400— Very close on everything we compare
Smyrna, NY 13464 89%145$56,953$80,800$102 Very close on everything we compare
Atkins, VA 24311 89%381$48,516$93,100$117 Very close on everything we compare
Mount Gay, WV 25637 87%340$51,926$77,000— Very close on everything we compare
Kinde, MI 48445 87%287$51,645$121,600— pricier homes ($27K more) · more single-family homes
Elgin, IA 52141 87%693$64,647$115,500$99 Very close on everything we compare
Oakland, IL 61943 87%537$54,196$109,000$71 8 min longer commute
Percy, IL 62272 87%660$50,938$83,500$79 younger residents
Island Falls, ME 04747 86%572$56,795$120,200$111 pricier homes ($26K more) · more single-family homes
Jackson, NC 27845 86%374$48,707$87,000— larger · 6 min longer commute
Bonnie, IL 62816 86%621$53,036$86,600$103 6 min longer commute
Menard, TX 76859 86%1,412$47,443$110,900— larger · older residents
East Millinocket, ME 04430 85%547$42,011$86,200$88 younger residents
Viper, KY 41774 85%415$47,083$100,300— larger
Wayne City, IL 62895 85%600$51,131$117,800— larger · 7 min longer commute
Jetmore, KS 67854 85%1,179$57,104$97,400$95 Very close on everything we compare
Scarbro, WV 25917 84%308$60,407$88,700$113 older homes
Goshen, AL 36035 84%818$53,125$113,700$82 larger · younger residents · newer homes
Coffee Springs, AL 36318 84%851$49,826$122,400$105 pricier homes ($28K more) · 7 min longer commute
Rutherford, TN 38369 84%700$50,417$105,300$107 younger residents
Clinton, KY 42031 84%677$57,097$118,700$84 larger · more renters
La Center, KY 42056 84%661$56,776$131,300$91 pricier homes ($37K more) · 7 min longer commute
Wheaton, MN 56296 84%953$53,527$103,800$73 larger · younger residents
Lemmon, SD 57638 84%1,227$58,533$101,100$79 larger · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Oakwood, IL 61858 84%515$56,415$125,500$101 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger

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.