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 Byron, MI 48418

Byron: median income $74,547, home value $255,000, $177/sq ft, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pleasant Plain, OH 45162 93%243$84,722$216,500$225 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Kunkletown, PA 18058 92%456$73,041$264,000$188 larger
Goodview, VA 24095 92%446$80,246$259,500$185 Very close on everything we compare
Berlin Center, OH 44401 92%199$71,953$237,300$171 smaller
Cedar Hill, MO 63016 92%466$86,359$229,900$173 cheaper homes ($25K less)
Warfordsburg, PA 17267 91%366$77,788$251,000$160 smaller
Bear Creek, NC 27207 91%554$70,211$205,700$200 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Elizabeth, IN 47117 91%340$86,853$221,700$179 cheaper homes ($33K less)
New Auburn, WI 54757 91%411$70,395$234,800$197 6 min shorter commute
McCammon, ID 83250 91%1,425$73,555$322,000$217 pricier homes ($67K more) · smaller
Mc David, FL 32568 90%847$79,279$242,300$156 more apartments and townhomes
Spencer, OH 44275 90%152$93,785$252,400$174 Very close on everything we compare
South Range, WI 54874 90%469$89,063$218,900$201 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Dittmer, MO 63023 90%469$79,583$212,800$154 cheaper homes ($42K less) · younger residents
Fairfield, PA 17320 89%402$90,076$295,000$174 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
Dinwiddie, VA 23841 89%521$70,670$247,900$256 Very close on everything we compare
Centerburg, OH 43011 89%186$90,121$315,600$205 pricier homes ($61K more)
Moores Hill, IN 47032 89%263$66,950$245,800$120 Very close on everything we compare
Buckfield, ME 04220 88%688$79,750$222,000$188 cheaper homes ($33K less) · younger residents
York Springs, PA 17372 88%405$82,313$282,700$158 pricier homes ($28K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Effort, PA 18330 88%456$93,733$291,600$183 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger
Conowingo, MD 21918 88%460$84,587$324,800$230 pricier homes ($70K more)
Hurdle Mills, NC 27541 88%522$75,305$237,000$202 Very close on everything we compare
Rock Creek, OH 44084 88%178$73,288$209,700$227 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Nineveh, IN 46164 88%262$85,735$247,200$238 older 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.