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 Lowell, OH 45744

Lowell: median income $69,148, home value $201,500, $446/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Genesee, PA 16923 88%253$73,864$173,900— cheaper homes ($28K less)
Goshen, NH 03752 85%551$70,417$255,600$332 pricier homes ($54K more) · smaller · newer homes
Creekside, PA 15732 84%147$62,000$200,200— younger residents
Penn Run, PA 15765 82%153$73,646$186,000— newer homes
Wilcox, PA 15870 82%205$63,750$126,800— cheaper homes ($75K less) · smaller
Ionia, IA 50645 82%618$64,408$114,600— cheaper homes ($87K less) · smaller
Venus, PA 16364 81%165$74,886$183,500— smaller · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Kewanna, IN 46939 81%277$69,000$140,700— cheaper homes ($61K less) · younger residents
Sigel, PA 15860 80%178$65,774$148,800— cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller · younger residents
Unionville, MI 48767 79%301$77,938$123,100— cheaper homes ($78K less) · younger residents
Watersmeet, MI 49969 79%605$67,188$247,300$364 pricier homes ($46K more) · smaller · newer homes
Waverly, KS 66871 79%760$71,094$145,100— cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller · younger residents
Concord, VT 05824 78%600$72,500$162,800$385 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller · newer homes
Chicora, PA 16025 78%135$71,722$209,500$303 larger · younger residents
West Union, WV 26456 78%43$58,000$164,400— cheaper homes ($37K less) · younger residents · 9 min longer commute
Cook, MN 55723 78%800$64,526$189,700$307 newer homes
Lead, SD 57754 78%1,191$66,250$218,000$288 larger · more renters
Tilden, NE 68781 78%869$67,212$171,700— cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller · younger residents
Livermore, ME 04253 77%670$70,441$221,800$242 newer homes
Lake Preston, SD 57249 77%879$63,182$193,300— smaller · younger residents · more renters
Hay Springs, NE 69347 77%1,119$76,133$116,300— cheaper homes ($85K less) · smaller · younger residents
West Middlesex, PA 16159 76%126$69,391$178,000— larger · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Posen, MI 49776 76%407$59,000$149,300$326 cheaper homes ($52K less) · younger residents
Lerna, IL 62440 76%359$79,605$128,000— cheaper homes ($74K less) · smaller
Hagaman, NY 12086 75%450$78,155$230,800$285 pricier homes ($29K more) · 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.