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 Lincoln University, PA 19352

Lincoln University: median income $165,365, home value $473,200, $225/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Oakland, MI 48363 93%431$179,375$618,200$226 pricier homes ($145K more) · smaller
Edmond, OK 73025 93%1,211$176,149$454,700$185 Very close on everything we compare
Mickleton, NJ 08056 92%34$171,389$473,400$223 smaller
Galena, OH 43021 92%371$167,941$564,700$220 pricier homes ($92K more)
Colgate, WI 53017 92%681$153,917$521,700$221 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Brookline, NH 03033 91%300$171,046$544,400$245 pricier homes ($71K more) · smaller
Mullica Hill, NJ 08062 91%36$157,009$488,100$252 larger
Aledo, TX 76008 91%1,301$168,314$493,200$205 larger
Colorado Springs, CO 80927 91%1,532$163,803$587,100$210 pricier homes ($114K more)
Dunkirk, MD 20754 90%82$167,371$614,200$220 pricier homes ($141K more) · smaller
Summerfield, NC 27358 90%328$138,717$444,400$205 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($29K less) · older residents
Oviedo, FL 32766 90%824$147,552$564,400$250 pricier homes ($91K more)
Burlington, CT 06013 89%206$165,120$418,700$252 cheaper homes ($55K less) · older homes
Ostrander, OH 43061 89%388$157,568$400,300$229 cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller
Hanover, MN 55341 89%977$157,071$450,300$195 smaller
Shawnee, KS 66218 89%1,005$168,878$436,600$207 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Sunnyvale, TX 75182 89%1,245$170,348$565,300$208 pricier homes ($92K more) · older residents
Boerne, TX 78015 89%1,461$162,487$492,400$206 larger · newer homes
Monrovia, MD 21770 88%78$183,571$632,500$240 pricier homes ($159K more) · 6 min longer commute
Moseley, VA 23120 88%191$158,667$569,300$224 pricier homes ($96K more) · larger · newer homes
Harrisburg, NC 28075 88%404$144,288$482,800$205 larger
Granville, OH 43023 88%352$142,852$473,100$220 Very close on everything we compare
Carver, MN 55315 88%970$140,893$453,000$208 smaller
Hamel, MN 55340 88%971$178,553$639,100$234 pricier homes ($166K more)
Crystal Lake, IL 60012 88%670$159,375$417,300$198 cheaper homes ($56K less) · older residents · more walkable

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.