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 Mount Olive, IL 62069

Mount Olive: median income $59,764, home value $102,700, $109/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Johnstown, PA 15909 95%585$61,016$110,200$107 larger
Dolgeville, NY 13329 93%827$60,104$121,700$101 Very close on everything we compare
Sodus, NY 14551 93%719$59,167$123,500$128 larger
Alum Creek, WV 25003 93%432$64,631$114,900— Very close on everything we compare
Wakefield, MI 49968 93%512$55,759$91,800$97 Very close on everything we compare
Appleton, MN 56208 93%531$59,766$102,800$114 Very close on everything we compare
Rimersburg, PA 16248 92%558$65,272$110,600$100 Very close on everything we compare
Tarkio, MO 64491 92%314$57,500$91,300$126 smaller
Braymer, MO 64624 92%219$58,095$95,500$140 smaller
Oxford, NY 13830 91%777$62,400$130,100$106 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger
Boswell, PA 15531 91%575$60,855$137,500$128 pricier homes ($35K more)
Linesville, PA 16424 91%520$56,186$128,500$103 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger
Millinocket, ME 04462 90%1,162$51,527$112,900$135 larger
Deposit, NY 13754 90%778$61,000$132,400$81 pricier homes ($30K more)
Portage, PA 15946 90%597$55,582$117,000$88 larger
Tidioute, PA 16351 90%575$51,515$91,600$82 smaller
Springboro, PA 16435 90%527$59,938$119,700$130 smaller
Grampian, PA 16838 90%604$57,917$118,400— smaller · newer homes
Fairmount, IN 46928 90%236$67,412$126,300$104 larger
Cambridge City, IN 47327 90%250$68,088$124,700$84 larger
Dunkirk, IN 47336 90%257$50,633$97,800$84 Very close on everything we compare
Charleston, WV 25315 89%446$55,083$90,200$98 younger residents
Holgate, OH 43527 89%332$58,821$136,300$120 pricier homes ($34K more)
Brewster, OH 44613 89%446$58,125$147,200$113 pricier homes ($45K more)
Glouster, OH 45732 89%410$60,605$110,000$124 7 min longer commute

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.