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 Lancaster, PA 17601

Lancaster: median income $102,435, home value $354,400, $213/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Menomonee Falls, WI 53051 98%645$100,031$367,900$240 Very close on everything we compare
New Berlin, WI 53151 97%641$101,176$371,200$231 smaller
Bettendorf, IA 52722 96%748$101,546$311,500$188 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Orchard Park, NY 14127 95%225$109,386$364,900$237 smaller
Saint Paul, MN 55110 95%916$101,296$360,500$217 smaller
Osseo, MN 55369 95%937$112,144$376,400$205 Very close on everything we compare
Webster, NY 14580 94%225$98,310$278,500$231 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Williamsburg, VA 23185 94%195$105,431$429,500$220 pricier homes ($75K more)
Richmond, VA 23235 94%190$96,083$356,000$221 smaller
Roanoke, VA 24018 94%281$90,885$348,800$161 Very close on everything we compare
Ft Mitchell, KY 41017 94%445$97,274$293,500$201 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Saint Charles, MO 63303 94%764$99,138$321,100$163 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Perrysburg, OH 43551 93%394$95,846$311,100$198 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Cincinnati, OH 45241 93%434$103,585$314,500$193 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller
Rapid City, SD 57702 93%1,408$91,457$389,700$218 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller · older residents
Saint Charles, IL 60174 93%638$104,534$362,200$254 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Fairport, NY 14450 92%216$109,466$308,200$221 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Stow, OH 44224 92%279$94,287$254,500$183 cheaper homes ($100K less)
Franklin, WI 53132 92%636$109,850$367,500$223 smaller
Wallingford, CT 06492 91%206$105,061$353,600$262 Very close on everything we compare
Clifton Park, NY 12065 91%232$113,873$379,900$262 pricier homes ($26K more)
Glen Allen, VA 23060 91%179$104,468$409,900$224 pricier homes ($56K more) · smaller · newer homes
West Chester, OH 45069 91%433$114,631$345,000$192 Very close on everything we compare
Canton, MI 48187 91%403$120,321$364,200$196 6 min longer commute
Grand Rapids, MI 49525 91%521$94,037$321,100$228 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller

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.