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 Ripley, NY 14775

Ripley: median income $49,961, home value $113,600, $43/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Peabody, KS 66866 89%959$58,705$97,200$46 6 min longer commute
Sutherland, IA 51058 86%802$63,036$133,000— smaller
Sheldon, IL 60966 86%419$46,944$85,200$63 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Plainview, NE 68769 86%922$61,833$122,500$52 newer homes
Galva, IL 61434 85%538$56,780$100,100$69 Very close on everything we compare
Brunswick, MO 65236 85%726$46,806$98,800$62 smaller · newer homes
Gordon, NE 69343 85%1,143$59,741$116,700— Very close on everything we compare
Bedford, IA 50833 84%784$61,042$112,900$69 Very close on everything we compare
Ivanhoe, MN 56142 84%843$57,500$120,500$63 smaller
Fairfax, MO 64446 84%823$56,949$101,800— smaller
Nickerson, KS 67561 84%1,007$57,434$95,000— younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Culbertson, NE 69024 84%1,104$52,337$106,900— smaller · newer homes
Summitville, IN 46070 83%335$57,667$117,300$78 Very close on everything we compare
Edina, MO 63537 83%661$59,891$105,000$48 newer homes
Blue Rapids, KS 66411 83%899$57,361$85,900— cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller · newer homes
Lyons, KS 67554 83%1,008$64,125$107,900$60 larger
Emerson, NE 68733 83%868$64,479$132,600— smaller
Tatum, NM 88267 83%1,425$52,250$111,400— smaller · 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Buhl, MN 55713 82%733$59,036$129,300$49 smaller · newer homes
Walnut Grove, MN 56180 82%805$67,689$131,600$47 smaller · younger residents
Falls City, NE 68355 82%838$56,607$108,800$58 larger
Rushville, NE 69360 82%1,156$52,402$116,000— smaller · older residents
Sheffield, PA 16347 81%51$58,125$79,100$39 cheaper homes ($35K less) · newer homes
Belle, WV 25015 81%293$56,681$98,100$63 larger · newer homes
Jonesboro, IN 46938 81%330$45,884$98,800$74 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.