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 Topeka, IN 46571

Topeka: median income $85,500, home value $278,000, $135/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Fredericksburg, OH 44627 90%201$84,010$335,000$198 pricier homes ($57K more)
Apple Creek, OH 44606 86%202$76,350$288,000$177 older homes
Dundee, OH 44624 85%215$110,972$240,000$169 higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($38K less)
Roosevelt, UT 84066 82%1,276$79,494$286,800$182 larger · older residents
Thatcher, AZ 85552 81%1,456$88,454$290,900$194 older residents
Millersburg, OH 44654 80%205$79,345$297,800$197 larger · older residents
Sugarcreek, OH 44681 80%214$85,769$316,600$194 pricier homes ($39K more) · older residents · older homes
Baltic, OH 43804 79%215$71,488$219,800$193 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Brusly, LA 70719 79%835$105,522$233,100$163 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Hobbs, NM 88242 79%1,140$90,000$260,200$198 older residents
Holmesville, OH 44633 78%198$64,688$215,200— cheaper homes ($63K less) · smaller · older residents
Moxee, WA 98936 78%1,749$99,280$364,700$205 pricier homes ($87K more)
Garland, UT 84312 77%1,369$83,088$398,400$185 pricier homes ($120K more)
Saint Marys, KS 66536 76%578$85,568$224,600$151 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller · older homes
Seminole, TX 79360 76%1,122$79,467$219,200$157 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Theresa, NY 13691 75%525$79,943$173,400$147 cheaper homes ($105K less) · smaller · older residents
Dalton, OH 44618 75%206$74,403$248,800$212 cheaper homes ($29K less) · older homes
Holcomb, KS 67851 75%856$83,906$241,800$235 cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Clymer, NY 14724 74%304$83,063$172,900$159 cheaper homes ($105K less) · smaller · older homes
Wingate, NC 28174 74%531$71,136$226,700$184 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Crittenden, KY 41030 74%199$83,488$248,300$195 cheaper homes ($30K less) · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Epworth, IA 52045 74%284$91,667$263,500$141 smaller · older residents
Burlington, ND 58722 74%903$85,417$275,000$159 smaller · older residents
Kiefer, OK 74041 74%686$83,365$224,500$140 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller · older residents
Howe, TX 75459 74%824$71,228$258,300$163 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.