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 Tafton, PA 18464

Tafton: median income $77,277, home value $312,600, $253/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Worton, MD 21678 95%153$71,023$319,000$266 Very close on everything we compare
Effingham, NH 03882 94%266$76,607$322,700$294 Very close on everything we compare
Underwood, MN 56586 94%1,080$79,583$309,800$268 Very close on everything we compare
Balsam Lake, WI 54810 93%907$69,917$271,600$263 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Fort Ripley, MN 56449 92%1,004$74,861$309,100$202 Very close on everything we compare
Limington, ME 04049 91%280$84,675$295,600$257 larger
Hanover, VA 23069 91%276$83,453$356,400$274 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger
Panora, IA 50216 91%990$79,635$228,600$261 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Mindoro, WI 54644 91%825$77,143$256,500$234 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller
Wrenshall, MN 55797 91%924$87,039$257,400$229 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Fairview, UT 84629 91%1,895$65,962$336,700$248 larger · younger residents
Surry, ME 04684 90%399$74,508$296,300$251 Very close on everything we compare
Maurertown, VA 22644 90%243$75,606$287,000$240 cheaper homes ($26K less) · less walkable
Bath, NC 27808 90%419$90,472$372,500$295 pricier homes ($60K more)
Neosho, WI 53059 90%693$91,114$342,800$232 pricier homes ($30K more)
La Valle, WI 53941 90%775$82,537$261,100$187 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Zumbro Falls, MN 55991 90%894$82,292$350,000$270 pricier homes ($37K more) · less walkable
Garfield, MN 56332 90%1,060$87,917$281,400$273 cheaper homes ($31K less) · younger residents
McCammon, ID 83250 90%1,886$73,555$322,000$217 Very close on everything we compare
Greenville, CA 95947 90%2,365$82,500$339,400$275 pricier homes ($27K more)
Lovell, ME 04051 89%288$80,625$295,000$233 Very close on everything we compare
Earlton, NY 12058 89%93$85,469$273,500— cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Rileyville, VA 22650 89%249$72,226$277,700$307 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Topping, VA 23169 89%271$71,964$247,900$264 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller
Dinwiddie, VA 23841 89%324$70,670$247,900$256 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger

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.