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 Hallstead, PA 18822

Hallstead: median income $60,132, home value $204,100, $135/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Staples, MN 56479 95%986$59,920$191,700$140 larger
Chebanse, IL 60922 95%630$62,000$173,500$138 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Elgin, OR 97827 94%2,092$60,766$262,500$137 pricier homes ($58K more)
Fairfield, ME 04937 93%358$63,933$163,700$164 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger
Pittsfield, ME 04967 93%375$57,381$164,100$143 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Kingwood, WV 26537 93%267$59,844$169,900$112 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger
Horicon, WI 53032 93%660$56,085$189,000$165 larger
New Holstein, WI 53061 93%637$65,898$194,100$157 larger
Charlestown, NH 03603 92%194$56,731$230,400$173 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger
Crisfield, MD 21817 92%275$55,720$161,000$112 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Wildwood, GA 30757 92%710$60,947$173,600$149 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
South Charleston, OH 45368 92%436$60,850$168,600$153 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Edinburgh, IN 46124 92%563$64,466$184,700$140 larger
Camanche, IA 52730 92%745$64,543$177,200$141 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger
Mauston, WI 53948 92%733$62,829$182,400$142 larger
Barron, WI 54812 92%836$63,100$161,700$137 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
Bagley, MN 56621 92%1,033$63,721$185,000$140 Very close on everything we compare
Copenhagen, NY 13626 91%133$64,495$179,300$158 newer homes
Pearisburg, VA 24134 91%415$65,401$159,800$152 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Charleston, WV 25320 91%388$58,629$164,800$118 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Triadelphia, WV 26059 91%283$67,094$191,700$165 Very close on everything we compare
Rockport, IN 47635 91%661$66,286$166,700$110 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger
Covington, IN 47932 91%617$59,811$182,400$134 larger · 5 min shorter commute
Oconto Falls, WI 54154 91%652$59,767$200,900$172 larger
Peshtigo, WI 54157 91%639$70,469$164,600$147 cheaper homes ($40K 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.