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 Hicksville, OH 43526

Hicksville: median income $66,912, home value $168,400, $117/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Thorp, WI 54771 94%396$65,625$186,400$128 smaller · older residents
Scott City, MO 63780 94%381$72,171$169,600$102 Very close on everything we compare
Fennimore, WI 53809 93%324$65,568$192,500$127 Very close on everything we compare
Loyal, WI 54446 93%374$74,342$159,600$112 smaller
Long Prairie, MN 56347 91%599$66,641$194,100$148 pricier homes ($26K more)
Odem, TX 78370 91%1,174$69,570$176,700$153 Very close on everything we compare
Argos, IN 46501 90%78$64,172$156,900$124 smaller · older residents
Lagrange, IN 46761 90%41$71,430$207,000$153 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger
Darlington, WI 53530 90%291$69,511$181,800$138 Very close on everything we compare
Hillsboro, WI 54634 90%329$60,945$198,800$129 pricier homes ($30K more)
Muleshoe, TX 79347 90%1,095$66,792$105,700$110 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Belleville, PA 17004 89%370$65,068$206,900$162 pricier homes ($39K more)
West Point, GA 31833 89%586$61,348$172,200$143 Very close on everything we compare
Bourbon, IN 46504 89%71$74,567$184,300$168 smaller
Pierceton, IN 46562 89%50$68,902$195,900$165 pricier homes ($28K more) · older residents
Osgood, IN 47037 89%151$73,209$196,600$130 pricier homes ($28K more) · 5 min longer commute
Bloomfield, IA 52537 89%400$74,432$162,100$151 older residents · 5 min longer commute
Spencer, WI 54479 89%367$77,371$182,800$148 smaller
Melrose, MN 56352 89%587$73,721$229,100$131 pricier homes ($61K more)
New York Mills, MN 56567 89%641$72,500$215,300$132 pricier homes ($47K more) · smaller
Hennessey, OK 73742 89%794$70,538$171,800$92 smaller
Sunray, TX 79086 89%988$70,648$137,700$93 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Rossville, IN 46065 88%115$80,104$216,300$133 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller
South Whitley, IN 46787 88%47$62,242$166,600$126 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Hanover, IN 47243 88%183$65,197$183,900$181 Very close on everything we compare

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.