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 Botkins, OH 45306

Botkins: median income $86,354, home value $255,600, $157/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Larchwood, IA 51241 96%661$87,446$280,600$145 pricier homes ($25K more)
Pennock, MN 56279 95%643$84,000$231,700$176 smaller
Epworth, IA 52045 94%375$91,667$263,500$141 Very close on everything we compare
Nicollet, MN 56074 94%574$92,813$293,700$160 pricier homes ($38K more)
Battle Creek, NE 68715 94%705$95,714$238,800$123 Very close on everything we compare
Mediapolis, IA 52637 93%366$81,477$194,500$169 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Parker, SD 57053 93%695$93,393$273,800$212 Very close on everything we compare
Cottonwood, ID 83522 93%1,653$79,688$250,000$178 Very close on everything we compare
Sully, IA 50251 92%458$91,061$186,200$153 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller
Cleveland, WI 53015 92%301$88,810$222,200$164 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Bangor, WI 54614 92%420$85,588$250,300$171 Very close on everything we compare
Courtland, MN 56021 92%582$96,563$276,800$140 smaller
Pleasanton, NE 68866 92%783$94,792$262,300— smaller
Rossville, IN 46065 91%128$80,104$216,300$133 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
Hull, IA 51239 91%643$77,540$236,500$161 6 min shorter commute
Walker, IA 52352 91%414$92,321$231,300$131 older residents
Le Center, MN 56057 91%556$91,250$248,300$161 larger
Washburn, ND 58577 91%960$74,471$260,100$145 Very close on everything we compare
Utica, NE 68456 91%689$89,550$202,900$137 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller
Weeping Water, NE 68463 91%628$85,972$199,500$128 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Jones, MI 49061 90%132$79,229$223,500$161 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Alton, IA 51003 90%634$101,250$232,700$119 Very close on everything we compare
Inwood, IA 51240 90%660$83,929$232,600$123 Very close on everything we compare
Belmont, WI 53510 90%354$82,083$229,800$169 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Eleva, WI 54738 90%468$95,179$290,400$191 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger

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.