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.

Reset

Towns most like Apple Creek, OH 44606

Apple Creek: median income $76,350, home value $288,000, $177/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Nappanee, IN 46550 90%223$84,084$281,600$163 larger
Lagrange, IN 46761 89%197$71,430$207,000$153 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Aberdeen, ID 83210 89%1,595$74,615$213,300$184 cheaper homes ($75K less) · smaller · older homes
Delta, UT 84624 89%1,619$75,469$287,700$161 Very close on everything we compare
Jonestown, PA 17038 88%279$75,417$252,600$193 cheaper homes ($35K less) · older residents
Bremen, IN 46506 87%233$79,386$242,800$137 cheaper homes ($45K less) · older residents
Shipshewana, IN 46565 87%206$96,199$340,400$169 pricier homes ($52K more) · newer homes
Jerome, ID 83338 87%1,680$72,072$269,000$241 larger
Marcy, NY 13403 86%374$86,300$226,600$168 cheaper homes ($61K less) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Topeka, IN 46571 86%202$85,500$278,000$135 newer homes
Paul, ID 83347 86%1,646$79,643$296,700$204 smaller
Moosup, CT 06354 85%520$87,711$298,600$228 5 min longer commute
Rupert, ID 83350 85%1,638$61,806$244,100$227 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Roosevelt, UT 84066 85%1,475$79,494$286,800$182 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Thatcher, AZ 85552 85%1,631$88,454$290,900$194 Very close on everything we compare
Belleville, PA 17004 84%214$65,068$206,900$162 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Rossville, IN 46065 84%253$80,104$216,300$133 cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller
Odon, IN 47562 84%305$71,250$194,600$157 cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Mc Bain, MI 49657 84%296$76,250$196,400$165 cheaper homes ($92K less) · smaller · older residents
Augusta, WI 54722 84%545$71,181$231,500$215 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Dakota City, NE 68731 84%764$79,924$205,600$156 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller · older residents
Gunnison, UT 84634 84%1,585$72,130$292,700$163 smaller · older residents
Mount Pleasant, UT 84647 84%1,563$65,970$323,200$203 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Beaver, UT 84713 84%1,643$77,778$310,500$194 smaller · more walkable
Stevens, PA 17578 83%299$81,990$314,900$196 pricier homes ($27K more) · older 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.