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 Lincoln, MI 48742

Lincoln: median income $66,477, home value $170,300, $126/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Flintstone, MD 21530 92%425$63,542$202,400$137 pricier homes ($32K more)
Keosauqua, IA 52565 91%514$62,992$149,000$202 Very close on everything we compare
Littlefork, MN 56653 91%544$74,583$168,900$119 younger residents
Penn Run, PA 15765 90%360$73,646$186,000— younger residents
Gilbert, MN 55741 89%472$69,545$164,500$155 larger · younger residents
Hanna City, IL 61536 89%428$74,249$172,300$123 larger · younger residents
Centertown, MO 65023 88%626$72,663$221,200$193 pricier homes ($51K more)
Fancy Gap, VA 24328 87%574$56,659$165,100$165 older residents
Park Falls, WI 54552 87%352$61,317$150,700$116 larger
Andalusia, IL 61232 87%433$73,971$186,100$118 younger residents
Nauvoo, IL 62354 87%496$72,788$159,500$146 younger residents
Middlesex, NY 14507 86%335$77,273$160,800$169 Very close on everything we compare
Genesee, PA 16923 86%337$73,864$173,900— younger residents
Bloomingdale, OH 43910 86%327$71,396$181,600$153 larger · younger residents
Waterford, OH 45786 86%370$70,917$218,500$140 pricier homes ($48K more) · larger · younger residents
New Harmony, IN 47631 86%512$66,058$197,100$191 pricier homes ($27K more) · younger residents
Rudolph, WI 54475 86%316$79,500$196,700$186 pricier homes ($26K more)
Butternut, WI 54514 86%356$70,769$165,000$216 Very close on everything we compare
Frohna, MO 63748 86%585$59,478$177,000$100 smaller
Au Sable Forks, NY 12912 85%478$70,046$189,200$121 younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Wilcox, PA 15870 85%322$63,750$126,800— cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller · younger residents
Polk, PA 16342 85%290$63,750$114,700$123 cheaper homes ($56K less) · younger residents
West Point, IA 52656 85%493$83,750$189,900$110 younger residents
Akeley, MN 56433 85%567$58,889$228,500$185 pricier homes ($58K more)
Findlay, IL 62534 85%451$68,750$125,200$116 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · 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.