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 Spencerville, IN 46788

Spencerville: median income $101,553, home value $285,200, $187/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Freeport, MI 49325 89%105$90,472$319,000$182 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Lewiston, UT 84320 88%1,386$103,810$380,200$213 pricier homes ($95K more) · older residents
Freeport, MN 56331 86%575$96,042$271,800$169 smaller · older residents
Holcomb, KS 67851 86%882$83,906$241,800$235 cheaper homes ($43K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Anna, OH 45302 85%71$91,602$242,300$178 cheaper homes ($43K less) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Bethel, PA 19507 83%456$93,177$271,700$172 older residents
Clear Brook, VA 22624 83%386$104,375$438,200$229 pricier homes ($153K more) · older residents
Barnesville, MN 56514 83%680$100,845$264,800$145 older residents
Russia, OH 45363 82%77$95,268$316,900— pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller · older residents
Carlisle, IA 50047 82%443$106,389$250,100$205 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger · older residents
Lester Prairie, MN 55354 82%523$97,941$268,900$143 older residents
Fort Loramie, OH 45845 81%71$95,078$306,300— older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Westphalia, MI 48894 81%115$101,923$275,900$178 smaller · older residents · older homes
Epworth, IA 52045 81%319$91,667$263,500$141 smaller · older residents
Yutan, NE 68073 81%595$112,460$263,400$148 older residents
Goodhue, MN 55027 80%443$93,043$312,300$219 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller · older residents
Brusly, LA 70719 80%830$105,522$233,100$163 cheaper homes ($52K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Aaronsburg, PA 16820 79%390$83,900$263,600— smaller · 6 min longer commute
Holdingford, MN 56340 79%567$96,250$294,900$188 smaller · older residents
Dieterich, IL 62424 79%240$84,635$225,800$142 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller · older residents
Weston, ID 83286 79%1,391$92,500$359,000$290 pricier homes ($74K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Fredericksburg, OH 44627 78%166$84,010$335,000$198 pricier homes ($50K more) · larger
Clarksville, MI 48815 78%109$85,962$244,200$213 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller · older residents
Horton, MI 49246 78%63$81,908$254,100$241 cheaper homes ($31K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Dorr, MI 49323 78%109$98,745$288,200$201 larger · 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.