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 Lacona, IA 50139

Lacona: median income $72,400, home value $151,600, $170/sq ft, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hubbard Lake, MI 49747 93%555$73,233$179,500$196 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger
Fairmount, IL 61841 93%302$64,792$127,200$158 Very close on everything we compare
Varysburg, NY 14167 92%780$67,132$150,000— larger
Coal City, IN 47427 92%361$74,920$122,600$141 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Bancroft, MI 48414 91%489$68,214$195,300$186 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger
Venus, PA 16364 90%720$74,886$183,500— pricier homes ($32K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Daggett, MI 49821 90%415$58,750$164,300$162 Very close on everything we compare
Glenfield, NY 13343 89%933$70,478$163,600$236 larger · newer homes
Cazenovia, WI 53924 89%224$72,333$222,400$218 pricier homes ($71K more)
Peru, ME 04290 88%1,180$66,827$141,300$180 8 min shorter commute
Pembroke, ME 04666 88%1,341$60,761$142,100$156 6 min shorter commute
Huntsburg, OH 44046 88%638$80,625$222,200$185 pricier homes ($71K more)
Bloomingdale, IN 47832 88%335$78,125$146,400$134 6 min shorter commute
Rock, MI 49880 88%458$64,013$157,400$222 Very close on everything we compare
Embarrass, MN 55732 88%451$64,750$178,700$192 pricier homes ($27K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Jefferson, NY 12093 87%968$65,321$174,800$192 older residents
Jumping Branch, WV 25969 87%705$60,250$182,300— pricier homes ($31K more) · larger
Leslie, MO 63056 87%221$75,517$211,300$174 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger
West Valley, NY 14171 86%764$75,625$178,800$218 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger · older residents
Utica, PA 16362 86%697$65,833$183,000$159 pricier homes ($31K more) · 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Ringtown, PA 17967 86%893$77,321$187,500$179 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Hop Bottom, PA 18824 86%910$72,250$173,600$176 8 min shorter commute
Dixon Springs, TN 37057 86%513$78,940$224,200$160 pricier homes ($73K more)
Otter Lake, MI 48464 86%528$81,417$206,000$146 pricier homes ($54K more) · larger
Merrill, MI 48637 86%487$65,865$158,600$131 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.