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 Adel, IA 50003

Adel: median income $103,114, home value $395,400, $256/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Gansevoort, NY 12831 95%1,040$100,024$343,100$264 cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger
Mount Horeb, WI 53572 95%239$108,750$416,700$217 Very close on everything we compare
Prairie Du Sac, WI 53578 95%247$105,610$347,000$226 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller
Chester, VA 23836 94%936$100,921$356,400$192 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
Ashland, MO 65010 93%217$95,559$313,900$200 cheaper homes ($82K less)
Mc Gregor, TX 76657 93%727$97,634$373,300$188 Very close on everything we compare
Beaufort, SC 29907 92%971$97,446$428,000$259 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger
Oregon, WI 53575 92%254$107,885$432,800$230 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger
Waconia, MN 55387 92%223$114,511$440,300$215 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger
Carrollton, VA 23314 91%987$104,029$409,500$211 Very close on everything we compare
Alexander, NC 28701 91%738$108,125$324,300$278 cheaper homes ($71K less) · smaller
Sussex, WI 53089 91%315$120,875$418,900$248 larger
Cross Plains, WI 53528 91%247$106,823$436,100$232 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller · older homes
Deforest, WI 53532 91%264$110,022$371,600$227 larger
Brandon, SD 57005 91%188$112,500$341,200$189 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Kearney, MO 64060 91%157$112,683$356,600$186 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
Eudora, KS 66025 91%194$114,868$311,100$184 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Tucson, AZ 85742 91%1,131$98,844$368,300$228 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger
Greenacres, WA 99016 91%1,205$103,472$477,400$263 pricier homes ($82K more) · larger
South Berwick, ME 03908 90%1,187$98,289$425,700$274 pricier homes ($30K more) · older homes
Gorham, ME 04038 90%1,202$112,312$460,900$301 pricier homes ($66K more) · larger
Monroe, OH 45050 90%530$104,282$293,100$181 cheaper homes ($102K less)
Pleasant Prairie, WI 53158 90%322$105,868$375,600$234 larger
Belleville, WI 53508 90%246$99,948$350,700$230 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
De Soto, KS 66018 90%191$105,357$422,500$207 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller

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.