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 Adair, IA 50002

Adair: median income $79,071, home value $237,700, $139/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mead, NE 68041 96%98$74,000$251,300— Very close on everything we compare
Pleasant Hill, OH 45359 94%548$77,083$208,700$140 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Albion, NE 68620 94%174$83,450$231,700$169 larger
Grace, ID 83241 93%879$71,298$215,200$182 larger
Cedarville, NJ 08311 92%1,032$86,324$247,600$137 Very close on everything we compare
New Berlin, PA 17855 92%917$88,929$216,700$151 Very close on everything we compare
Harmony, MN 55939 92%195$70,855$198,800$120 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Alden, MN 56009 92%157$80,804$203,700$108 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Ponca, NE 68770 92%129$71,607$199,400$143 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Sterling, OH 44276 91%666$86,583$231,300$152 newer homes
Alcester, SD 57001 91%145$69,531$177,400$166 cheaper homes ($60K less)
New England, ND 58647 91%533$84,583$227,300$133 older residents
Osceola, NE 68651 91%153$78,487$191,300$99 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Pierce, NE 68767 91%156$81,761$233,500$138 larger
Stanley, NY 14561 90%900$77,857$195,700$152 cheaper homes ($42K less) · more homeowners
Darien, WI 53114 90%311$72,708$241,000$159 newer homes
South Wayne, WI 53587 90%255$90,250$203,900$100 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Jim Falls, WI 54748 90%300$78,750$235,100$161 newer homes
Kerkhoven, MN 56252 90%258$82,571$207,100$128 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Fertile, MN 56540 90%424$83,646$194,800$125 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Freeman, SD 57029 90%192$73,750$179,700$107 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Howard, SD 57349 90%229$75,179$153,000$130 cheaper homes ($85K less)
Stanton, NE 68779 90%135$78,594$203,300$106 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger
Hampton, NE 68843 90%173$92,778$250,000$140 Very close on everything we compare
Fulda, MN 56131 89%170$73,063$180,100$99 cheaper homes ($58K less)

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.