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 Lanse, MI 49946

Lanse: median income $55,341, home value $130,900, $206/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ronceverte, WV 24970 93%744$44,118$120,800$190 Very close on everything we compare
Conneaut Lake, PA 16316 92%536$62,750$165,400$202 pricier homes ($35K more)
Ladysmith, WI 54848 92%157$56,736$154,100$169 larger
Omaha, TX 75571 92%996$56,151$146,900$192 Very close on everything we compare
Warrensburg, NY 12885 91%747$59,429$169,800$169 pricier homes ($39K more)
Painter, VA 23420 91%904$52,831$158,400$214 pricier homes ($28K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Independence, VA 24348 91%794$44,829$155,500$173 Very close on everything we compare
Crandon, WI 54520 91%88$60,031$169,800$221 pricier homes ($39K more) · younger residents
Oblong, IL 62449 91%537$59,555$98,800— cheaper homes ($32K less)
Guilford, ME 04443 90%918$53,990$166,700$202 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Lincoln, ME 04457 90%957$56,645$146,300$171 larger
Friedens, PA 15541 90%667$62,992$178,500$233 pricier homes ($48K more)
Brockport, PA 15823 90%613$51,125$146,100— smaller
Decaturville, TN 38329 90%775$53,052$143,500$143 Very close on everything we compare
Gresham, WI 54128 90%134$63,661$152,700$199 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Grampian, PA 16838 89%631$57,917$118,400— smaller · 6 min longer commute
Brookneal, VA 24528 89%827$58,343$140,000$204 8 min longer commute
Petersburg, WV 26847 89%713$52,139$180,400$162 pricier homes ($50K more)
Lakeview, OH 43331 89%488$60,980$145,300$247 more apartments and townhomes
Mineral Ridge, OH 44440 89%545$64,904$167,800$156 pricier homes ($37K more)
Wittenberg, WI 54499 89%139$63,816$183,600$175 pricier homes ($53K more) · 5 min longer commute
Phillips, WI 54555 89%120$59,025$186,900$153 pricier homes ($56K more)
Walsenburg, CO 81089 89%1,045$52,280$191,800$154 pricier homes ($61K more)
North Stratford, NH 03590 88%823$52,803$166,500$170 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Kirkwood, NY 13795 88%701$56,743$149,300$157 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.