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 Modena, NY 12548

Modena: median income $132,083, home value $428,800, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Penn Laird, VA 22846 91%335$115,491$450,000$209 Very close on everything we compare
Mantorville, MN 55955 90%957$132,524$405,700$240 larger
Millville, CA 96062 90%2,468$129,688$481,100$351 pricier homes ($52K more)
Long Grove, IA 52756 89%848$116,250$358,000$189 cheaper homes ($71K less) · larger
Barneveld, WI 53507 88%811$113,261$347,400$224 cheaper homes ($81K less) · larger
Lohman, MO 65053 88%988$120,870$341,400$144 cheaper homes ($87K less) · larger
Malcolm, NE 68402 88%1,179$123,000$449,000$241 Very close on everything we compare
Edgecomb, ME 04556 87%278$108,750$348,400$296 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Renner, SD 57055 87%1,154$120,341$474,500$282 pricier homes ($46K more) · more homeowners
Fort Calhoun, NE 68023 87%1,131$116,287$389,600$333 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
North Prairie, WI 53153 86%735$152,543$430,100$271 larger
Oldenburg, IN 47036 85%605$98,300$413,700— lower income ($34K less)
Van Meter, IA 50261 85%1,022$155,278$374,100$294 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger
Pacific Junction, IA 51561 85%1,124$113,421$388,800$139 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Brooklyn, WI 53521 85%785$108,036$391,100$263 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger
Cologne, MN 55322 85%1,012$124,861$426,200$181 larger
Crooks, SD 57020 85%1,159$101,500$320,400$169 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($108K less) · larger
Treynor, IA 51575 84%1,111$112,115$304,500$128 cheaper homes ($124K less) · larger · older homes
Randolph, MN 55065 84%973$119,667$407,100$238 younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Hickman, TN 38567 83%740$100,368$340,500— lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($88K less)
Underwood, IA 51576 83%1,111$110,476$305,400$180 cheaper homes ($123K less) · larger
Walford, IA 52351 83%912$128,750$303,000$117 cheaper homes ($126K less) · younger residents
Amherst Junction, WI 54407 83%791$101,563$323,900$139 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($105K less)
Welch, MN 55089 83%959$108,750$384,800$238 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Denton, NE 68339 83%1,181$101,146$444,700$272 lower income ($31K less) · newer homes

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.