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 Dunkirk, OH 45836

Dunkirk: median income $56,250, home value $119,700, $117/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Waldron, MI 49288 93%78$66,833$147,500$129 pricier homes ($28K more)
Point Marion, PA 15474 91%210$62,500$117,700$136 larger
Correctionville, IA 51016 90%638$51,875$89,400$124 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Wheatland, IA 52777 89%381$60,250$158,900$168 pricier homes ($39K more)
Nickerson, KS 67561 89%790$57,434$95,000— 5 min shorter commute
Cambridge, IL 61238 88%343$64,583$131,100$106 larger · older residents
Ohio, IL 61349 88%307$71,375$119,200$126 Very close on everything we compare
Collins, NY 14034 87%272$62,412$151,200$134 pricier homes ($32K more) · older residents · newer homes
South Dayton, NY 14138 87%261$56,868$111,700$134 older residents
Macy, IN 46951 87%131$55,227$150,300$134 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · newer homes
Morenci, MI 49256 87%73$62,880$129,400$98 larger · newer homes
Jasper, MN 56144 86%684$58,375$95,000$166 6 min shorter commute
Camden, IN 46917 85%151$61,643$143,900$132 older residents
Lime Springs, IA 52155 85%479$57,917$116,500$103 older residents
Milledgeville, IL 61051 85%329$59,565$104,200$89 7 min shorter commute
Saybrook, IL 61770 85%258$60,750$110,900$96 newer homes
Cattaraugus, NY 14719 84%268$62,188$115,100$147 larger · older residents
Mount Savage, MD 21545 84%262$60,264$130,700$111 older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Brook, IN 47922 84%195$61,033$125,500$111 older residents · newer homes
Trevorton, PA 17881 83%364$54,122$120,000$88 more apartments and townhomes
Barry, IL 62312 83%397$68,571$98,300$105 7 min shorter commute
Newman Grove, NE 68758 83%737$56,667$132,500$101 9 min shorter commute
De Kalb Junction, NY 13630 82%495$63,333$92,700$82 cheaper homes ($27K less) · older residents
Hollsopple, PA 15935 82%249$61,941$99,600$121 larger · older residents
Owaneco, IL 62555 82%307$69,676$131,300— 7 min shorter commute

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.