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 Wellsboro, PA 16901

Wellsboro: median income $67,146, home value $237,100, $139/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cortland, OH 44410 92%179$70,385$197,700$151 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
Manistee, MI 49660 92%481$65,205$192,800$157 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Oakland, MD 21550 91%191$64,921$233,300$196 Very close on everything we compare
Valdese, NC 28690 91%473$67,000$211,300$219 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Grand Rapids, MN 55744 91%882$70,644$241,200$176 larger
Shreveport, LA 71119 91%1,112$58,538$187,000$122 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Clifton, TX 76634 91%1,308$74,694$211,500$164 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Cassopolis, MI 49031 90%447$66,944$232,600$141 6 min longer commute
Medford, WI 54451 90%695$71,349$213,700$129 younger residents
Kingsport, TN 37663 89%457$76,007$238,900$169 Very close on everything we compare
Brookville, OH 45309 89%394$75,409$214,700$165 younger residents
Ludington, MI 49431 89%487$66,336$237,700$203 larger
Milford, IA 51351 89%914$73,824$273,100$184 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Richland Center, WI 53581 89%677$64,833$196,100$150 cheaper homes ($41K less) · younger residents
Waupaca, WI 54981 89%622$72,640$218,700$193 Very close on everything we compare
Glenwood, MN 56334 89%940$69,525$279,900$191 pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller
La Grange, TX 78945 89%1,363$75,446$340,300$168 pricier homes ($103K more)
Allegany, NY 14706 88%66$73,236$176,000$111 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller · younger residents
Columbiana, OH 44408 88%185$74,028$208,000$179 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Loudonville, OH 44842 88%267$72,737$206,700$156 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
Proctorville, OH 45669 88%350$67,500$189,200$156 cheaper homes ($48K less) · younger residents
Mount Vernon, IN 47620 88%617$75,681$214,400$128 younger residents
Monticello, IN 47960 88%495$65,603$192,700$167 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Fort Gratiot, MI 48059 88%280$80,062$221,700$166 larger
Cheboygan, MI 49721 88%447$61,174$172,200$149 cheaper homes ($65K 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.