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.

Reset

Towns most like Lake Ariel, PA 18436

Lake Ariel: median income $69,498, home value $239,600, $188/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Algonac, MI 48001 94%376$69,160$257,400$207 Very close on everything we compare
Nashville, IN 47448 93%588$72,537$312,600$196 pricier homes ($73K more) · smaller
East China, MI 48054 91%376$83,241$301,400$199 pricier homes ($62K more) · smaller
Berkeley Springs, WV 25411 90%195$71,349$241,000$204 5 min longer commute
Denton, NC 27239 90%474$63,630$204,400$183 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller
Dunnellon, FL 34431 90%939$56,534$215,500$180 Very close on everything we compare
Stanwood, MI 49346 90%531$72,975$233,800$177 smaller
Nekoosa, WI 54457 90%757$71,083$178,200$200 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller
Stanardsville, VA 22973 89%270$76,964$284,000$218 pricier homes ($44K more) · smaller
Roxboro, NC 27574 89%397$66,206$194,300$190 cheaper homes ($45K less) · younger residents
Inverness, FL 34452 89%953$58,608$219,800$172 Very close on everything we compare
Florence, AL 35634 89%799$71,452$266,600$150 pricier homes ($27K more)
Stockbridge, MI 49285 89%455$73,375$210,100$152 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
Frederic, WI 54837 89%894$71,010$222,300$195 smaller
Pottsboro, TX 75076 89%1,273$76,919$267,500$198 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Boones Mill, VA 24065 88%383$63,240$251,200$169 smaller
Dunnellon, FL 34434 88%945$68,939$238,400$167 younger residents
Kingston, TN 37763 88%623$81,000$259,000$219 Very close on everything we compare
Montello, WI 53949 88%725$64,611$206,400$182 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller
Folsom, LA 70437 88%1,110$61,280$299,000$183 pricier homes ($59K more) · smaller
Charles City, VA 23030 87%295$81,250$253,700$206 smaller
Sophia, NC 27350 87%456$69,306$183,800$198 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller
Hertford, NC 27944 87%368$67,938$236,900$186 more apartments and townhomes
Landrum, SC 29356 87%568$64,514$292,000$203 pricier homes ($52K more) · smaller
Taylorsville, GA 30178 87%725$68,916$320,300$208 pricier homes ($81K more) · 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.