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 Galena, OH 43021

Galena: median income $167,941, home value $564,700, $220/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Oak Ridge, NC 27310 94%320$165,898$498,900$217 cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller
Hamel, MN 55340 93%639$178,553$639,100$234 pricier homes ($74K more)
Lincoln University, PA 19352 92%371$165,365$473,200$225 cheaper homes ($92K less)
Edmond, OK 73025 92%854$176,149$454,700$185 cheaper homes ($110K less) · 6 min longer commute
Clarence Center, NY 14032 91%294$168,711$502,100$261 cheaper homes ($63K less) · older residents
Oakland, MI 48363 91%178$179,375$618,200$226 pricier homes ($54K more) · smaller
Shawnee, KS 66218 91%635$168,878$436,600$207 cheaper homes ($128K less) · smaller
San Antonio, TX 78255 91%1,151$157,428$531,400$212 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Mickleton, NJ 08056 90%405$171,389$473,400$223 cheaper homes ($91K less) · smaller
Summerfield, NC 27358 90%319$138,717$444,400$205 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($120K less)
Lake Elmo, MN 55042 90%608$154,341$602,100$236 pricier homes ($37K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Plano, TX 75094 90%908$171,476$539,200$193 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Phoenix, AZ 85045 90%1,679$153,583$634,600$280 pricier homes ($70K more) · smaller
Harrisburg, NC 28075 89%358$144,288$482,800$205 cheaper homes ($82K less)
Boerne, TX 78015 89%1,147$162,487$492,400$206 cheaper homes ($72K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Oviedo, FL 32766 88%804$147,552$564,400$250 6 min longer commute
Ada, MI 49301 88%233$183,125$548,800$273 Very close on everything we compare
Lenexa, KS 66220 88%637$177,206$590,500$212 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller
Sunnyvale, TX 75182 88%915$170,348$565,300$208 smaller · 8 min longer commute
Aledo, TX 76008 88%967$168,314$493,200$205 cheaper homes ($72K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Anchorage, AK 99516 88%3,094$173,984$607,200$278 pricier homes ($43K more) · older homes
Mullica Hill, NJ 08062 87%407$157,009$488,100$252 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Venetia, PA 15367 87%149$135,542$544,100$216 lower income ($32K less)
Landenberg, PA 19350 87%377$144,375$533,000$212 cheaper homes ($32K less) · older homes
Moseley, VA 23120 87%336$158,667$569,300$224 7 min longer commute

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.