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 Mulkeytown, IL 62865

Mulkeytown: median income $67,798, home value $153,200, $60/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Vanderbilt, PA 15486 89%525$66,250$164,000$79 younger residents
Dry Branch, GA 31020 89%483$69,720$150,600— 5 min longer commute
Shorter, AL 36075 87%426$53,505$115,700— cheaper homes ($38K less)
Cedarville, AR 72932 87%334$59,740$165,000— younger residents
Penn Run, PA 15765 86%571$73,646$186,000— pricier homes ($33K more)
Sigel, PA 15860 86%583$65,774$148,800— smaller · younger residents
Bloomingdale, MI 49026 86%348$68,203$161,400$96 younger residents
Wilcox, PA 15870 85%607$63,750$126,800— cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · older homes
Ivanhoe, NC 28447 84%648$77,134$241,300— pricier homes ($88K more)
Genesee, PA 16923 83%655$73,864$173,900— 7 min shorter commute
Bartow, GA 30413 83%514$68,558$122,300$56 cheaper homes ($31K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Slaughters, KY 42456 83%94$59,500$155,600$89 Very close on everything we compare
Brookfield, OH 44403 83%507$60,874$154,100$68 larger · 5 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Rudy, AR 72952 83%332$49,254$165,600$62 Very close on everything we compare
Lowman, NY 14861 82%715$64,904$149,100— smaller · younger residents
Edinburg, PA 16116 82%507$69,559$130,800$112 Very close on everything we compare
Stony Creek, VA 23882 82%644$63,030$155,000$65 younger residents · more renters
Keeling, VA 24566 82%547$65,508$122,600$84 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Rock Cave, WV 26234 82%480$61,250$206,500— pricier homes ($53K more) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Calhoun, TN 37309 82%304$63,699$172,600$83 more renters
Sumner, MI 48889 82%433$60,200$157,900$55 younger residents
Ossineke, MI 49766 82%562$61,346$161,800$100 younger residents
Montrose, IA 52639 82%215$68,625$163,800$103 younger residents
Fisk, MO 63940 82%102$53,378$143,800$85 smaller · younger residents
Meta, MO 65058 82%165$71,771$242,900$83 pricier homes ($90K more) · smaller

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.