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 Spring Mills, PA 16875

Spring Mills: median income $71,250, home value $307,700, $211/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Chester, VT 05143 95%305$70,610$255,200$230 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Pelican Rapids, MN 56572 95%1,002$79,475$298,800$226 larger
Trappe, MD 21673 94%172$68,194$363,100$205 pricier homes ($55K more)
Stanardsville, VA 22973 94%182$76,964$284,000$218 larger
Rising Fawn, GA 30738 94%601$66,080$284,700$224 Very close on everything we compare
Nashville, IN 47448 94%471$72,537$312,600$196 larger
Amherst, WI 54406 94%644$77,533$284,800$186 Very close on everything we compare
Luck, WI 54853 94%813$75,000$245,100$215 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Wiscasset, ME 04578 93%457$81,063$327,400$234 Very close on everything we compare
Union, ME 04862 93%483$73,536$252,300$246 cheaper homes ($55K less) · younger residents
Shaftsbury, VT 05262 93%267$71,417$253,600$208 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
Clarksville, VA 23927 93%297$70,938$295,500$198 older residents
Little Mountain, SC 29075 93%508$75,884$257,400$217 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Sheridan, IN 46069 93%457$76,990$291,900$183 larger
Hamilton, IN 46742 93%383$78,750$250,500$199 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Deerwood, MN 56444 93%900$77,500$365,200$238 pricier homes ($58K more)
Mason, TX 76856 93%1,395$74,677$292,400$158 Very close on everything we compare
Rumney, NH 03266 92%356$76,071$281,900$251 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Franklin, ME 04634 92%539$67,589$264,600$166 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller
Brandon, VT 05733 92%307$68,831$248,200$218 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger · older homes
Danville, VT 05828 92%371$72,121$279,100$208 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · older residents
Lake Waccamaw, NC 28450 92%453$69,554$264,200$213 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller
Landrum, SC 29356 92%468$64,514$292,000$203 larger
Bloomfield, KY 40008 92%459$66,486$224,000$193 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Rapid City, MI 49676 92%478$75,781$269,300$290 cheaper homes ($38K 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.