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 Orange City, IA 51041

Orange City: median income $83,643, home value $277,000, $141/sq ft, 10-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Winona Lake, IN 46590 93%538$82,188$274,500$152 Very close on everything we compare
Hancock, MI 49930 89%463$72,314$214,000$143 cheaper homes ($63K less) · older homes
Morris, MN 56267 89%178$74,442$236,800$133 cheaper homes ($40K less) · more renters
Marshall, MN 56258 87%100$72,731$219,600$119 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger · older residents
Lewisburg, PA 17837 86%991$88,975$288,100$170 larger · older residents
Mcpherson, KS 67460 86%332$80,720$220,500$113 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger · older residents
Mankato, MN 56003 85%128$82,538$270,400$162 larger · older residents
Colby, KS 67701 85%361$70,250$177,300— cheaper homes ($100K less)
Kearney, NE 68845 84%222$76,978$282,000$147 larger
Delhi, NY 13753 83%1,072$70,000$216,200$160 cheaper homes ($61K less) · 7 min longer commute
Volga, SD 57071 83%100$77,138$246,000— cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Pierre, SD 57501 83%233$81,791$245,100$152 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · older residents
Rothschild, WI 54474 82%345$81,635$193,600$147 cheaper homes ($83K less) · smaller · older residents
Richfield, UT 84701 82%886$73,943$336,800$146 pricier homes ($60K more)
Saint Peter, MN 56082 81%138$71,456$275,200$169 larger · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Chamberlain, SD 57325 81%172$80,139$230,300$157 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller · older residents
Hays, KS 67601 81%333$61,417$227,300$133 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger
Kearney, NE 68847 81%223$73,818$238,400$143 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger · older residents
Moosic, PA 18507 79%1,047$75,395$266,700$165 older residents
Coldwater, OH 45828 79%613$72,703$252,100$132 more single-family homes
Wichita, KS 67209 79%376$77,940$224,100$124 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · older residents
Wichita Falls, TX 76308 79%647$74,772$213,500$131 cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger · more renters
Canton, NY 13617 78%1,045$71,663$161,300$131 cheaper homes ($116K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Fruitland, MD 21826 78%1,116$64,946$223,100$183 cheaper homes ($54K less) · 6 min longer commute
Oberlin, OH 44074 78%718$80,801$234,200$151 cheaper homes ($43K less) · 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.