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 Coldwater, OH 45828

Coldwater: median income $72,703, home value $252,100, $132/sq ft, 15-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Delta, UT 84624 94%1,473$75,469$287,700$161 pricier homes ($36K more)
Fillmore, UT 84631 93%1,468$67,115$301,000$161 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller
Rock Rapids, IA 51246 92%626$72,400$247,900$116 smaller
Burlington, CO 80807 92%935$76,583$251,900$123 smaller
Bremen, IN 46506 91%104$79,386$242,800$137 larger
Fort Branch, IN 47648 91%219$65,000$213,000$168 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Cimarron, KS 67835 91%860$79,877$215,900$117 cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller
Perham, MN 56573 90%691$68,770$286,500$183 pricier homes ($34K more)
Platte, SD 57369 90%761$78,100$237,400— smaller
Tolono, IL 61880 90%193$85,536$227,900$147 Very close on everything we compare
Crete, NE 68333 90%646$81,083$234,000$141 Very close on everything we compare
Kingfisher, OK 73750 90%789$69,931$229,100$126 older residents
Sheldon, IA 51201 89%605$68,799$197,800$118 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Hull, IA 51239 89%620$77,540$236,500$161 smaller
West Liberty, IA 52776 89%353$79,665$204,000$126 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Fennimore, WI 53809 89%354$65,568$192,500$127 cheaper homes ($60K less) · 6 min longer commute
Arcadia, WI 54612 89%435$77,647$196,400$156 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Melrose, MN 56352 89%625$73,721$229,100$131 Very close on everything we compare
Washburn, ND 58577 89%939$74,471$260,100$145 smaller
Palmyra, MO 63461 89%367$69,707$212,000$124 cheaper homes ($40K less) · older residents
Huntingburg, IN 47542 88%195$77,574$198,100$135 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · older residents
Rothschild, WI 54474 88%395$81,635$193,600$147 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Milford, NE 68405 88%650$75,250$244,600$153 smaller · older homes
Richfield, UT 84701 88%1,459$73,943$336,800$146 pricier homes ($85K more)
Humboldt, IA 50548 87%517$76,214$188,200$113 cheaper homes ($64K less) · older residents

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.