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 Otto, NC 28763

Otto: median income $72,269, home value $287,800, $240/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Warners, NY 13164 91%673$84,808$256,200$231 cheaper homes ($32K less) · younger residents
Winfield, PA 17889 90%537$89,063$288,900$188 Very close on everything we compare
Nunica, MI 49448 90%574$86,458$301,300$233 larger
Skandia, MI 49885 89%806$81,172$241,200$247 cheaper homes ($47K less) · 5 min longer commute
Linn Creek, MO 65052 89%556$87,125$350,700$191 pricier homes ($63K more)
Mount Clare, WV 26408 88%334$72,819$227,400$175 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Lake Ann, MI 49650 88%681$87,500$275,400$265 5 min longer commute
Belgrade, ME 04917 87%967$88,338$312,200$238 Very close on everything we compare
Mount Crawford, VA 22841 87%337$92,862$370,500$207 pricier homes ($83K more)
Midway, KY 40347 87%226$85,270$354,000$203 pricier homes ($66K more)
Chassell, MI 49916 87%868$74,625$199,000$226 cheaper homes ($89K less) · older homes
Cedar Grove, WI 53013 87%635$84,375$277,900$236 6 min longer commute
Kasota, MN 56050 87%848$90,000$342,700$211 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller
Ashton, ID 83420 87%1,608$69,286$337,700$228 pricier homes ($50K more) · older residents
Eagar, AZ 85925 87%1,471$82,708$248,400$227 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
Wolcott, VT 05680 86%874$72,917$227,700$267 cheaper homes ($60K less) · 7 min longer commute
Freehold, NY 12431 86%713$80,694$262,500$265 cheaper homes ($25K less) · 7 min longer commute
Pennsylvania Furnace, PA 16865 86%489$77,717$270,700$208 older homes
Accident, MD 21520 86%388$59,852$298,600$236 Very close on everything we compare
Mc Henry, MD 21541 86%382$82,955$342,500$258 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Roseland, VA 22967 86%311$87,337$255,200$262 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Tiger, GA 30576 86%16$81,417$324,900$245 pricier homes ($37K more) · more renters
Combined Locks, WI 54113 86%688$93,490$246,000$199 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Shell Lake, WI 54871 86%865$69,342$241,000$163 cheaper homes ($47K less)
New London, MN 56273 86%933$90,122$320,100$170 pricier homes ($32K more) · 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.