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 Lake Orion, MI 48359

Lake Orion: median income $93,125, home value $350,100, $186/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Jamestown, NC 27282 97%498$91,512$312,900$169 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger
Oakdale, PA 15071 93%226$102,328$275,000$192 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Greensboro, NC 27455 93%488$94,349$341,500$191 larger
Lexington, KY 40514 93%335$95,914$315,500$197 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger
Glen Carbon, IL 62034 93%444$101,260$281,400$150 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Bowling Green, KY 42103 92%431$87,689$331,400$182 larger
Indianapolis, IN 46256 92%241$93,847$318,200$163 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger
Mount Horeb, WI 53572 92%328$108,750$416,700$217 pricier homes ($67K more)
Rochester, MN 55906 92%468$93,685$377,800$173 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger
Woodway, TX 76712 92%1,089$97,903$340,600$179 larger
Waterville, OH 43566 91%88$105,985$305,600$195 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Twinsburg, OH 44087 91%134$99,270$320,400$199 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
Lake Mills, WI 53551 91%286$94,401$357,400$229 older homes
Mandeville, LA 70471 91%929$96,501$394,300$181 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Getzville, NY 14068 90%230$98,750$365,300$221 Very close on everything we compare
Bridgeport, WV 26330 90%285$88,962$271,800$160 cheaper homes ($78K less)
Canton, OH 44718 90%160$88,113$297,900$191 cheaper homes ($52K less) · older homes
Indianapolis, IN 46280 90%242$91,152$324,400$217 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Germantown, WI 53022 90%247$100,890$373,400$219 larger
Prairie Du Sac, WI 53578 90%329$105,610$347,000$226 smaller
West Salem, WI 54669 90%401$103,194$312,300$168 cheaper homes ($38K less) · more homeowners
Lees Summit, MO 64086 90%631$102,099$325,600$193 larger
Gansevoort, NY 12831 89%485$100,024$343,100$264 larger
Shalimar, FL 32579 89%868$104,510$444,300$232 pricier homes ($94K more)
Knoxville, TN 37931 89%467$92,150$359,600$208 larger

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.