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 Scottown, OH 45678

Scottown: median income $62,992, home value $84,000, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Surrency, GA 31563 89%480$62,917$97,100$140 younger residents
Silas, AL 36919 89%578$59,091$100,300— larger
Boomer, NC 28606 88%185$56,600$95,900$195 larger · more walkable
Norwood, GA 30821 88%354$53,545$59,800$78 Very close on everything we compare
Harrisville, MS 39082 88%631$58,242$106,500$85 6 min longer commute
Altmar, NY 13302 87%476$55,341$107,300$289 6 min shorter commute
Coalport, PA 16627 87%254$64,013$92,800— larger
Gilbert, WV 25621 87%70$51,563$85,600$55 larger
Mitchell, GA 30820 87%373$51,146$82,800— more renters
West Salem, IL 62476 87%303$65,543$91,800— more single-family homes
Palmyra, IL 62674 87%414$55,417$99,600$94 Very close on everything we compare
Cooperstown, PA 16317 86%241$57,768$115,000$138 pricier homes ($31K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Danville, GA 31017 86%416$59,167$109,100$109 pricier homes ($25K more) · older residents
Kite, GA 31049 86%407$76,429$90,700$99 larger · younger residents
Tamms, IL 62988 86%386$54,779$65,800— 6 min shorter commute
Laneville, TX 75667 86%839$61,065$105,400$73 younger residents
Ivanhoe, VA 24350 85%145$54,219$97,400$208 older residents
Atkinson, NC 28421 85%366$60,025$118,400$330 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger · newer homes
Sacramento, KY 42372 85%278$48,090$102,900$120 Very close on everything we compare
Elizabethtown, IL 62931 85%330$49,605$105,100$124 Very close on everything we compare
Ellenburg Depot, NY 12935 84%622$57,542$119,000$132 pricier homes ($35K more) · more single-family homes
Angelica, NY 14709 84%346$53,889$83,100$82 younger residents
Lena, MS 39094 84%574$56,422$97,000$128 larger · 7 min shorter commute
Chatham, LA 71226 84%713$49,669$86,100$286 larger
Taylor, AR 71861 84%725$58,150$118,500$138 pricier homes ($35K 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.