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 Walton, IN 46994

Walton: median income $56,563, home value $136,200, $102/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Stoystown, PA 15563 94%387$62,411$139,600$128 Very close on everything we compare
Mapleton, IA 51034 94%503$66,375$120,500$104 Very close on everything we compare
Hurley, WI 54534 94%444$53,468$123,600$121 Very close on everything we compare
Marion, KS 66861 94%594$60,565$150,300$108 Very close on everything we compare
George, IA 51237 93%531$61,667$159,500$89 Very close on everything we compare
Rising Star, TX 76471 93%919$54,773$141,700$142 Very close on everything we compare
Island Falls, ME 04747 92%975$56,795$120,200$111 smaller · newer homes
Elgin, IA 52141 92%318$64,647$115,500$99 smaller
Wells, MN 56097 92%436$62,264$133,800$91 larger
Stockton, IL 61085 92%225$59,798$131,300$111 younger residents
Tekonsha, MI 49092 91%118$64,211$156,400$126 younger residents
Wakefield, MI 49968 91%440$55,759$91,800$97 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Fairfax, MN 55332 91%505$62,361$144,300$92 Very close on everything we compare
Gibbon, MN 55335 91%498$62,206$149,300$98 younger residents
Madison, MN 56256 91%582$65,521$124,200$119 Very close on everything we compare
Tyndall, SD 57066 91%617$56,389$112,000$119 Very close on everything we compare
Walnut, IL 61376 91%183$61,200$128,400$91 younger residents
Waverly, IL 62692 91%208$66,143$123,100$85 Very close on everything we compare
Morrill, NE 69358 91%918$52,159$152,800$137 Very close on everything we compare
Rogers City, MI 49779 90%350$53,465$124,000$79 larger
Ackley, IA 50601 90%373$66,250$127,200$86 younger residents
Ionia, IA 50645 90%359$64,408$114,600— smaller
Corning, IA 50841 90%442$66,875$116,700$95 Very close on everything we compare
Dunlap, IA 51529 90%492$61,599$156,800$115 older residents
Mc Graw, NY 13101 89%543$63,587$143,700$112 younger 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.