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 Macy, IN 46951

Macy: median income $55,227, home value $150,300, $134/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lyons, MI 48851 91%152$65,726$158,000$137 Very close on everything we compare
Collins, NY 14034 88%388$62,412$151,200$134 older residents · 5 min shorter commute
Rutland, OH 45775 87%247$47,036$116,700— cheaper homes ($34K less)
Dunkirk, OH 45836 87%131$56,250$119,700$117 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · older homes
Dayton, PA 16222 86%358$64,688$158,400$138 newer homes
Narrows, VA 24124 86%378$62,854$116,500$158 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger · older residents
Pierpont, OH 44082 86%293$51,687$151,800$115 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Waynesfield, OH 45896 86%116$62,449$173,000$145 8 min shorter commute
Mechanicsville, IA 52306 86%275$61,875$167,500$140 older residents
North Bloomfield, OH 44450 85%279$51,723$177,200$111 pricier homes ($27K more) · newer homes
Ashley, MI 48806 85%175$61,375$155,600$112 older residents
Clayton, MI 49235 85%117$64,219$173,500$124 older residents
Wheatland, IA 52777 85%251$60,250$158,900$168 smaller · older homes
Eagle Bend, MN 56446 85%573$56,979$151,500$193 smaller · older residents
Olney Springs, CO 81062 85%966$56,250$127,300$122 more renters
Petrolia, PA 16050 84%331$56,708$132,700$123 smaller · older residents
Burghill, OH 44404 84%292$55,972$193,700$131 pricier homes ($43K more) · older residents
Ansonia, OH 45303 84%93$65,556$134,100$146 7 min shorter commute
Morenci, MI 49256 84%113$62,880$129,400$98 larger · 6 min shorter commute
Greenwood, WI 54437 84%346$67,097$158,500$116 newer homes
Saybrook, IL 61770 84%131$60,750$110,900$96 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Blain, PA 17006 83%454$64,722$169,500$114 smaller · more renters
Mill Creek, PA 17060 83%432$67,159$153,600$183 smaller
Caledonia, OH 43314 83%166$49,183$147,700$172 newer homes
Branch, LA 70516 83%812$53,750$163,100$126 smaller · newer homes

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.