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 Thurman, OH 45685

Thurman: median income $61,700, home value $115,000, $190/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Paden, OK 74860 96%812$60,398$138,500$189 larger
Scranton, KS 66537 93%718$70,000$99,800— Very close on everything we compare
Lodge Grass, MT 59050 92%1,349$62,500$112,500— Very close on everything we compare
Milburn, OK 73450 92%848$57,791$101,000$164 Very close on everything we compare
Barnsdall, OK 74002 92%767$66,027$125,000$203 larger
Soper, OK 74759 92%809$54,219$133,500— older residents
Holliday, TX 76366 92%970$56,034$156,700$167 pricier homes ($42K more) · larger
Knippa, TX 78870 92%1,184$54,167$128,600— Very close on everything we compare
Bluford, IL 62814 91%345$59,462$121,300— larger
Galatia, IL 62935 91%344$60,238$105,400$144 larger
Ridgeway, MO 64481 91%623$55,341$120,200— Very close on everything we compare
Higbee, MO 65257 91%543$54,911$98,900$175 Very close on everything we compare
New Zion, SC 29111 90%375$76,250$125,500— Very close on everything we compare
Ethel, MS 39067 90%560$67,250$98,200— Very close on everything we compare
Rothbury, MI 49452 90%380$55,441$123,100$204 larger
Pellston, MI 49769 90%479$67,558$160,000$230 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger
Ontario, WI 54651 90%542$62,159$172,800$248 pricier homes ($58K more)
Ravenwood, MO 64479 90%661$61,184$150,700— pricier homes ($36K more) · older homes
Panama, NY 14767 89%268$67,607$143,500$156 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger
Prattsburgh, NY 14873 89%368$68,239$122,900$178 larger · older residents
Lamar, MS 38642 89%469$59,388$143,200$162 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger
Benton, MS 39039 89%607$60,175$145,000$143 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger
Wilson, MI 49896 89%534$56,167$164,800$163 pricier homes ($50K more) · larger
Fairchild, WI 54741 89%593$62,679$166,700$176 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger
Auxvasse, MO 65231 89%509$57,407$146,600$195 pricier homes ($32K 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.