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.

Reset

Towns most like Utica, MI 48315

Utica: median income $100,684, home value $378,700, $187/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Havre De Grace, MD 21078 93%418$106,667$385,600$185 Very close on everything we compare
Quakertown, PA 18951 92%424$98,268$363,200$225 older homes
Bear, DE 19701 92%436$111,198$372,500$206 larger · younger residents
Schererville, IN 46375 92%243$93,160$315,400$171 cheaper homes ($63K less) · 6 min longer commute
Macungie, PA 18062 91%411$110,675$380,200$201 Very close on everything we compare
Oldsmar, FL 34677 91%1,011$93,474$387,300$249 Very close on everything we compare
Dillsburg, PA 17019 90%357$94,423$299,300$196 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Hastings, MN 55033 90%512$103,988$358,700$187 younger residents
Absecon, NJ 08205 89%496$93,370$292,400$208 cheaper homes ($86K less) · younger residents
Carlisle, PA 17015 89%345$86,981$297,500$189 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Easton, PA 18040 89%422$107,016$360,800$220 smaller
Swansboro, NC 28584 89%635$87,414$339,200$221 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller
Circle Pines, MN 55014 89%533$103,658$337,400$202 cheaper homes ($41K less) · younger residents
Advance, NC 27006 88%480$96,580$334,600$191 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Rockledge, FL 32955 88%1,000$86,457$359,400$218 Very close on everything we compare
Lake Worth, FL 33467 88%1,121$95,739$451,600$251 pricier homes ($73K more) · larger
Slinger, WI 53086 88%271$103,426$387,100$214 smaller
Franklin, WI 53132 88%254$109,850$367,500$223 younger residents
Tucson, AZ 85743 88%1,691$90,093$356,300$221 more single-family homes
Lititz, PA 17543 87%387$97,435$348,400$234 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
Mount Joy, PA 17552 87%380$97,683$292,500$212 cheaper homes ($86K less) · more renters
Germantown, WI 53022 87%262$100,890$373,400$219 Very close on everything we compare
Harrisburg, PA 17112 86%359$103,876$313,000$179 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Pennsburg, PA 18073 86%419$115,766$369,300$218 smaller · younger residents
Honey Brook, PA 19344 86%410$86,890$321,100$211 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller

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.