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 Spring Valley, OH 45370

Spring Valley: median income $122,000, home value $352,000, $169/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Rocheport, MO 65279 92%455$103,516$332,700$211 Very close on everything we compare
Westerlo, NY 12193 91%557$108,438$308,100$172 cheaper homes ($44K less) · older homes
Rock Hill, NY 12775 91%514$112,600$398,400$228 pricier homes ($46K more)
Waterloo, NE 68069 91%655$111,974$365,100$254 Very close on everything we compare
Feura Bush, NY 12067 89%564$125,521$390,700$219 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller
Elysburg, PA 17824 88%403$118,176$244,900$173 cheaper homes ($107K less) · larger · younger residents
Princeton, IA 52768 88%362$112,563$291,100$151 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller · younger residents
Westmoreland, NH 03467 87%644$104,444$351,800$240 Very close on everything we compare
East Hartland, CT 06027 87%603$115,938$348,100$195 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Barkhamsted, CT 06063 87%603$121,705$373,100$231 younger residents
Andover, CT 06232 87%627$134,632$376,500$249 Very close on everything we compare
Custer, WI 54423 87%440$113,690$329,100$239 Very close on everything we compare
Berryton, KS 66409 87%619$104,604$318,300$183 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Valparaiso, NE 68065 87%680$108,689$326,700$145 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller
Londonderry, VT 05148 86%633$105,795$385,300$220 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller
Spicer, MN 56288 86%676$111,021$422,300$208 pricier homes ($70K more) · larger
Roland, AR 72135 86%570$102,500$319,200$221 cheaper homes ($33K less) · younger residents
Eighty Four, PA 15330 85%214$111,680$367,600$202 larger
Blue Grass, IA 52726 85%376$104,250$276,100$168 cheaper homes ($76K less) · larger · younger residents
Ashby, MA 01431 84%669$115,598$390,500$210 pricier homes ($39K more) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Silver Lake, NH 03875 84%723$115,583$371,100$250 smaller
Columbia, CT 06237 84%630$127,000$361,500$243 larger
Morris, CT 06763 84%586$109,853$394,200$257 pricier homes ($42K more) · older homes
Perkiomenville, PA 18074 84%454$130,462$433,400$212 pricier homes ($81K more) · larger · younger residents
Long Grove, IA 52756 84%372$116,250$358,000$189 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.