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 Utica, MI 48316

Utica: median income $107,776, home value $383,500, $178/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Reading, PA 19608 98%399$110,173$332,400$178 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Havre De Grace, MD 21078 96%421$106,667$385,600$185 Very close on everything we compare
Macungie, PA 18062 95%414$110,675$380,200$201 Very close on everything we compare
Franklin, WI 53132 95%252$109,850$367,500$223 Very close on everything we compare
Mandeville, LA 70471 95%932$96,501$394,300$181 Very close on everything we compare
Yorktown, VA 23692 94%517$109,066$417,200$222 pricier homes ($34K more)
Twinsburg, OH 44087 94%125$99,270$320,400$199 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Seabrook, TX 77586 94%1,123$114,057$345,700$145 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Hudson, WI 54016 93%507$113,085$452,000$224 pricier homes ($69K more)
Harrisburg, PA 17112 92%362$103,876$313,000$179 cheaper homes ($71K less)
Forest, VA 24551 92%420$91,067$362,500$187 Very close on everything we compare
Clemmons, NC 27012 92%481$96,250$340,900$179 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Mableton, GA 30126 92%618$101,891$377,000$177 younger residents
Broadview Heights, OH 44147 92%119$103,125$316,700$200 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Medina, OH 44256 92%123$99,923$316,000$200 cheaper homes ($68K less) · larger
Germantown, WI 53022 92%259$100,890$373,400$219 Very close on everything we compare
Waukesha, WI 53189 92%266$117,008$406,200$243 Very close on everything we compare
Deforest, WI 53532 92%320$110,022$371,600$227 smaller · younger residents
Oregon, WI 53575 92%321$107,885$432,800$230 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller
North Aurora, IL 60542 92%276$114,831$342,400$217 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller
Jacksonville, FL 32223 91%870$95,347$409,900$225 pricier homes ($26K more)
Muskego, WI 53150 91%257$109,276$416,400$250 pricier homes ($33K more)
Pleasant Prairie, WI 53158 91%246$105,868$375,600$234 smaller
Circle Pines, MN 55014 91%530$103,658$337,400$202 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Forest Lake, MN 55025 91%524$98,382$405,000$201 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.