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 Willoughby, OH 44094

Willoughby: median income $78,772, home value $259,900, $187/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Barre, VT 05641 94%484$76,855$253,200$203 smaller
Hamburg, NY 14075 94%152$83,383$266,100$226 Very close on everything we compare
Racine, WI 53406 94%339$82,792$289,700$188 pricier homes ($30K more)
Erie, PA 16506 92%72$81,060$237,300$201 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Gettysburg, PA 17325 92%252$80,948$287,200$191 pricier homes ($27K more)
Bethlehem, PA 18017 92%320$91,173$336,100$207 pricier homes ($76K more)
Pensacola, FL 32504 92%834$72,672$275,800$179 smaller · younger residents
Rochester, NY 14612 91%221$82,800$202,900$182 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Rochester, NY 14626 91%218$78,204$198,400$180 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Monroeville, PA 15146 91%119$79,300$210,000$169 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Buffalo, NY 14224 90%160$80,052$238,500$205 Very close on everything we compare
Canandaigua, NY 14424 90%228$79,778$269,500$233 less walkable
York, PA 17402 90%274$81,166$250,400$166 younger residents
Columbia, SC 29212 90%522$77,142$247,000$149 Very close on everything we compare
Sarasota, FL 34232 90%990$80,795$359,900$250 pricier homes ($100K more)
Bloomfield, CT 06002 89%448$98,162$286,400$212 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Plainville, CT 06062 89%441$84,310$253,900$247 smaller
Elizabethtown, PA 17022 89%271$86,767$294,000$186 pricier homes ($34K more) · less walkable
Palmyra, PA 17078 89%268$93,135$305,700$190 pricier homes ($46K more) · smaller · younger residents
Christiansburg, VA 24073 89%315$76,800$253,200$190 younger residents
Louisville, KY 40220 89%325$78,434$264,200$160 younger residents
Farmington, MI 48336 89%116$88,938$259,900$173 Very close on everything we compare
Lansing, MI 48917 89%182$70,990$222,900$149 cheaper homes ($37K less) · younger residents
West Bend, WI 53095 89%366$80,830$305,400$207 pricier homes ($46K more)
Agawam, MA 01001 88%453$75,342$295,700$249 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller

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.