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 Palmerton, PA 18071

Palmerton: median income $70,217, home value $206,900, $170/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Plainfield, CT 06374 92%200$71,882$248,700$194 pricier homes ($42K more) · younger residents
Geneva, OH 44041 91%286$60,662$174,200$164 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Oconto, WI 54153 90%682$70,684$174,500$164 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Springfield, VT 05156 89%235$66,679$204,300$162 younger residents
Richmond, MO 64085 89%976$64,096$171,400$158 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Ware, MA 01082 88%200$69,018$292,000$219 pricier homes ($85K more)
Hoosick Falls, NY 12090 88%184$68,056$173,800$153 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller · older homes
Pearisburg, VA 24134 88%367$65,401$159,800$152 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller
Burton, MI 48519 88%438$64,351$159,100$152 cheaper homes ($48K less) · younger residents
New Holstein, WI 53061 88%672$65,898$194,100$157 smaller
New London, WI 54961 88%712$71,824$221,400$192 younger residents · newer homes
Luling, TX 78648 88%1,456$57,621$217,500$186 Very close on everything we compare
Harriman, TN 37748 87%589$64,883$196,900$189 larger
Strasburg, OH 44680 87%311$69,509$206,600$179 smaller
Mauston, WI 53948 87%766$62,829$182,400$142 6 min shorter commute
Holton, KS 66436 87%1,066$71,016$213,300$146 smaller · more single-family homes
Franklin, NH 03235 86%272$71,775$263,600$250 pricier homes ($57K more) · younger residents
Winsted, CT 06098 86%152$66,269$247,900$216 pricier homes ($41K more)
Rockwood, TN 37854 86%599$55,856$177,500$196 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Lorain, OH 44053 86%346$67,484$206,300$159 larger · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Sheffield Lake, OH 44054 86%341$75,572$184,400$173 more single-family homes
Watertown, WI 53098 86%693$74,431$253,600$216 pricier homes ($47K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Beaver Dam, WI 53916 86%702$71,188$220,300$190 larger · 7 min shorter commute
Berlin, WI 54923 86%714$66,223$189,300$161 7 min shorter commute
Orange, MA 01364 85%211$55,532$247,800$207 pricier homes ($41K more) · younger residents

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.