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 Sugarloaf, PA 18249

Sugarloaf: median income $97,593, home value $298,400, $152/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Blue Grass, IA 52726 96%762$104,250$276,100$168 Very close on everything we compare
Brimfield, IL 61517 95%721$99,886$275,000$138 Very close on everything we compare
Center Point, IA 52213 94%814$98,854$259,800$161 cheaper homes ($39K less) · younger residents
Millstadt, IL 62260 93%765$91,039$252,500$174 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Satsuma, AL 36572 91%968$99,773$220,700$162 cheaper homes ($78K less) · larger
Winneconne, WI 54986 91%678$93,189$300,900$228 Very close on everything we compare
Fincastle, VA 24090 90%315$90,521$286,900$136 Very close on everything we compare
Alexandria, OH 43001 90%349$93,804$387,400$216 pricier homes ($89K more)
Milan, OH 44846 90%341$93,333$243,500$180 cheaper homes ($55K less) · older homes
Armada, MI 48005 90%373$105,734$331,100$181 pricier homes ($33K more)
Earlham, IA 50072 90%937$111,250$303,900$176 Very close on everything we compare
Troutville, VA 24175 89%321$82,314$302,200$167 larger
Grass Lake, MI 49240 89%428$99,681$298,700$193 larger
Treynor, IA 51575 89%1,015$112,115$304,500$128 smaller
Black Earth, WI 53515 89%716$92,625$361,300$218 pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller
Freeburg, IL 62243 89%757$103,342$279,500$143 larger
Weston, MO 64098 89%998$92,661$317,600$186 younger residents
Syracuse, NE 68446 89%1,049$90,746$236,700$127 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller
Tully, NY 13159 88%125$101,250$229,000$195 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Whitehouse, OH 43571 88%403$108,143$296,600$204 larger · younger residents
Chesterland, OH 44026 88%276$111,761$330,800$194 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Lambertville, MI 48144 88%395$101,410$270,000$160 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Lawton, IA 51030 88%1,041$86,167$271,000$148 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Mazomanie, WI 53560 88%717$98,409$358,000$228 pricier homes ($60K more)
Amherst, WI 54406 88%711$77,533$284,800$186 Very close on everything we compare

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.