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 Barto, PA 19504

Barto: median income $98,859, home value $388,300, $225/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Columbia, NJ 07832 98%47$106,424$355,200$237 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Earleville, MD 21919 97%69$106,500$373,200$224 Very close on everything we compare
Metamora, MI 48455 96%435$103,835$367,900$235 larger
Canterbury, CT 06331 95%207$103,198$334,200$243 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Center City, MN 55012 95%936$101,607$386,600$226 smaller
Lebanon, CT 06249 94%194$109,135$345,900$216 cheaper homes ($42K less)
East Haddam, CT 06423 94%182$107,549$373,700$306 Very close on everything we compare
Manchester, MI 48158 94%456$94,784$312,200$190 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Alton, NH 03809 93%309$106,397$387,500$270 Very close on everything we compare
Ortonville, MI 48462 93%440$105,699$343,600$193 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
Holt, MO 64048 93%996$103,131$337,900$255 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Chepachet, RI 02814 92%229$110,764$390,500$298 Very close on everything we compare
Sanbornville, NH 03872 92%320$109,583$334,400$278 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Boonsboro, MD 21713 92%126$96,199$369,200$207 larger
Sharpsburg, MD 21782 92%132$94,130$311,600$207 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Alexandria, OH 43001 92%371$93,804$387,400$216 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Leonard, MI 48367 92%426$110,405$397,900$192 newer homes
South Haven, MN 55382 92%1,001$93,661$368,100$283 Very close on everything we compare
Lake Park, MN 56554 92%1,113$94,792$376,400$307 smaller
Twain Harte, CA 95383 92%2,370$86,970$461,100$265 pricier homes ($73K more)
Athens, NY 12015 91%159$91,845$306,300$226 cheaper homes ($82K less)
Freeland, MD 21053 91%77$89,497$408,300$238 smaller · younger residents
Lanexa, VA 23089 91%217$108,802$400,600$252 newer homes
Bahama, NC 27503 91%343$114,425$406,700$203 Very close on everything we compare
Armada, MI 48005 91%414$105,734$331,100$181 cheaper homes ($57K less) · younger residents

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.