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 Fort Recovery, OH 45846

Fort Recovery: median income $91,736, home value $249,400, $150/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hull, IA 51239 92%616$77,540$236,500$161 smaller
Cleveland, WI 53015 92%288$88,810$222,200$164 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Galva, KS 67443 92%696$88,938$220,600$137 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
Dakota City, NE 68731 91%621$79,924$205,600$156 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Jesup, IA 50648 90%404$95,353$226,400$145 7 min longer commute
Hartington, NE 68739 90%665$90,500$218,400$152 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · older residents
Parma, MI 49269 89%130$86,699$217,100$164 cheaper homes ($32K less) · 7 min longer commute
Delta, UT 84624 89%1,468$75,469$287,700$161 pricier homes ($38K more)
Bellevue, IA 52031 88%321$86,674$244,600$152 older residents
Bremen, IN 46506 87%104$79,386$242,800$137 larger
Mc Bain, MI 49657 87%265$76,250$196,400$165 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Negaunee, MI 49866 87%444$85,019$212,300$165 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger
Teutopolis, IL 62467 87%216$96,406$232,800$128 Very close on everything we compare
Holland Patent, NY 13354 86%527$101,733$241,900$158 7 min longer commute
Reinholds, PA 17569 86%456$96,313$303,200$198 pricier homes ($54K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Rossville, IN 46065 86%97$80,104$216,300$133 cheaper homes ($33K less) · 6 min longer commute
Hope, IN 47246 86%93$94,375$197,800$188 cheaper homes ($52K less) · 7 min longer commute
Woodward, IA 50276 86%486$91,827$289,000$244 pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller
Alton, IA 51003 86%607$101,250$232,700$119 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Dyersville, IA 52040 86%359$84,761$242,300$126 older residents
Spencer, WI 54479 86%412$77,371$182,800$148 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Janesville, MN 56048 86%524$85,532$238,600$159 7 min longer commute
Le Center, MN 56057 86%533$91,250$248,300$161 7 min longer commute · more renters
Arlington, NE 68002 86%607$93,220$299,700$130 pricier homes ($50K more) · smaller · older residents
Battle Creek, NE 68715 86%676$95,714$238,800$123 smaller · 7 min longer 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.