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 Prole, IA 50229

Prole: median income $123,164, home value $416,700, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mayer, MN 55360 94%243$122,117$354,600$193 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger
Palo, IA 52324 93%110$115,917$327,400$200 cheaper homes ($89K less)
Walford, IA 52351 92%104$128,750$303,000$117 cheaper homes ($114K less)
Sandy Hook, VA 23153 91%878$122,096$462,500$245 pricier homes ($46K more)
Ellerslie, GA 31807 91%780$109,345$323,400$176 cheaper homes ($93K less) · larger
Sobieski, WI 54171 91%365$113,698$349,100$217 cheaper homes ($68K less) · larger
Elko New Market, MN 55020 91%221$131,071$455,500$211 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger
Atkins, IA 52206 90%105$116,071$309,700$140 cheaper homes ($107K less) · larger
Cologne, MN 55322 90%234$124,861$426,200$181 larger
Saint Jacob, IL 62281 90%279$132,000$308,900$174 cheaper homes ($108K less) · larger
Andale, KS 67001 90%324$98,661$357,300$178 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger
Arcadia, OK 73007 88%441$120,556$494,200$230 pricier homes ($78K more) · larger · older residents
Toquerville, UT 84774 88%1,081$97,813$563,200$277 lower income ($25K less) · pricier homes ($147K more)
Smartsville, CA 95977 88%1,454$104,545$441,700$312 pricier homes ($25K more)
Dover, MN 55929 87%198$118,977$332,300$166 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Memphis, IN 47143 86%467$138,382$272,600$175 cheaper homes ($144K less) · larger
Mapleton, ND 58059 86%414$115,469$331,800$201 cheaper homes ($85K less) · younger residents
Lone Jack, MO 64070 86%174$130,364$370,400$207 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger · older residents
Penn Laird, VA 22846 85%819$115,491$450,000$209 pricier homes ($33K more) · older residents
New Kent, VA 23124 85%926$132,060$398,600$231 larger
Shenandoah Junction, WV 25442 85%848$111,419$393,600$200 larger
Adams, TN 37010 85%487$118,179$424,900$213 larger
Commercial Point, OH 43116 85%571$113,229$351,800$184 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger · younger residents
Forest Ranch, CA 95942 85%1,462$116,400$448,000$226 pricier homes ($31K more) · older residents · older homes
Troy, VA 22974 84%855$112,344$368,900$271 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger

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.