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 Akron, IN 46910

Akron: median income $69,226, home value $204,200, $123/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lyons, MI 48851 92%145$65,726$158,000$137 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Sublette, KS 67877 92%826$66,492$187,000$141 Very close on everything we compare
Volant, PA 16156 91%302$69,054$221,400— Very close on everything we compare
Perrysville, OH 44864 91%196$66,250$160,500$146 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Olivet, MI 49076 91%114$74,440$200,600$133 Very close on everything we compare
Verndale, MN 56481 91%583$73,295$167,700$141 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Reedsville, PA 17084 90%441$80,197$197,000$121 Very close on everything we compare
Thompsontown, PA 17094 90%463$66,375$196,100$123 older residents
Columbus Junction, IA 52738 90%274$80,385$145,700$117 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Cashton, WI 54619 90%305$71,463$230,200$149 pricier homes ($26K more) · newer homes
Forreston, IL 61030 90%198$71,655$157,200$130 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Casey, IL 62420 90%158$65,771$140,400$124 cheaper homes ($64K less) · older residents
Ovid, MI 48866 89%160$65,281$169,000$126 cheaper homes ($35K less) · older residents
Nashville, MI 49073 89%117$67,604$178,500$129 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · older residents
Pleasantville, IA 50225 89%377$69,923$168,500$175 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Greenwood, WI 54437 89%345$67,097$158,500$116 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Cornell, WI 54732 89%385$62,875$184,000$117 older residents
Madelia, MN 56062 89%474$76,713$182,500$142 older homes
Lancaster, MO 63548 89%341$66,625$163,400— cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller
Oskaloosa, KS 66066 89%506$79,990$225,700$107 newer homes
Bartlett, TX 76511 89%950$69,286$222,900$132 older residents
Boling, TX 77420 89%987$67,697$226,400$104 Very close on everything we compare
Mannsville, NY 13661 88%540$82,297$183,400$117 smaller · older residents
Milroy, PA 17063 88%444$75,444$135,200$113 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Loganton, PA 17747 88%454$71,731$208,000$176 Very close on everything we compare

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.