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.

Reset

Towns most like Lawson, MO 64062

Lawson: median income $92,277, home value $274,400, $163/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Foley, MN 56329 98%432$92,738$282,000$176 Very close on everything we compare
Clear Spring, MD 21722 97%867$88,232$312,500$195 pricier homes ($38K more)
Delta, PA 17314 96%949$96,047$269,300$187 Very close on everything we compare
Utica, OH 43080 96%627$87,301$232,300$172 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Kouts, IN 46347 96%399$95,348$255,400$173 Very close on everything we compare
Clayton, IN 46118 95%410$78,298$276,900$166 Very close on everything we compare
New Carlisle, IN 46552 95%434$91,341$237,900$168 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Black Creek, WI 54106 95%456$97,500$277,800$199 Very close on everything we compare
Grant Park, IL 60940 95%367$97,361$271,900$163 smaller
Seven Valleys, PA 17360 94%928$97,896$303,200$175 pricier homes ($29K more)
Catawba, NC 28609 94%765$77,679$245,900$190 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Jay, FL 32565 94%712$84,432$239,500$200 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Pierz, MN 56364 94%454$76,638$263,400$146 Very close on everything we compare
Edgewood, TX 75117 94%475$90,954$250,000$181 Very close on everything we compare
Littlestown, PA 17340 93%909$90,030$298,000$184 larger
Smithsburg, MD 21783 93%885$100,750$339,800$174 pricier homes ($65K more)
Mount Sterling, OH 43143 93%581$100,333$242,800$179 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Royalton, MN 56373 93%444$91,192$302,900$165 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller
Millerstown, PA 17062 92%905$90,893$233,000$209 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller
Newmanstown, PA 17073 92%954$91,452$272,200$214 Very close on everything we compare
Newburg, PA 17240 92%883$91,429$256,300$175 smaller
Preston, MD 21655 92%980$90,385$289,200$221 Very close on everything we compare
West Point, VA 23181 92%947$95,699$290,600$191 Very close on everything we compare
Roopville, GA 30170 92%651$90,962$222,000$189 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller
Centerburg, OH 43011 92%613$90,121$315,600$205 pricier homes ($41K more)

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.