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 Sergeant Bluff, IA 51054

Sergeant Bluff: median income $119,716, home value $301,900, $155/sq ft, 14-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
West Salem, WI 54669 83%285$103,194$312,300$168 7 min longer commute
Eagle Lake, MN 56024 83%174$95,357$285,600$162 smaller · less walkable
Minneapolis, MN 55445 82%239$104,150$329,400$173 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Tannersville, PA 18372 80%1,086$123,344$322,400$203 smaller · 8 min longer commute
Stewartville, MN 55976 80%219$87,330$280,200$172 lower income ($32K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Brandon, SD 57005 80%83$112,500$341,200$189 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
North Sioux City, SD 57049 79%12$93,134$432,100$174 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($130K more) · more renters
Stanley, ND 58784 79%505$116,616$258,600$118 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller
Tea, SD 57064 78%78$119,022$365,800$218 pricier homes ($64K more) · 6 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Byron, MN 55920 77%219$131,336$372,600$193 pricier homes ($71K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Great Mills, MD 20634 76%1,081$139,375$342,300$176 pricier homes ($40K more) · younger residents · 10 min longer commute
Hartford, SD 57033 76%89$105,560$289,600$202 7 min longer commute · more single-family homes · less walkable
Kansas City, MO 64158 76%240$105,043$371,800$182 pricier homes ($70K more) · 6 min longer commute · more renters
Eudora, KS 66025 76%248$114,868$311,100$184 9 min longer commute · more single-family homes
West Henrietta, NY 14586 75%947$124,457$277,500$211 larger · 7 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Toledo, OH 43617 75%650$127,019$286,000$145 larger · more homeowners
Windsor, WI 53598 75%360$106,476$399,800$213 pricier homes ($98K more) · 6 min longer commute · less walkable
Oneida, WI 54155 75%435$99,597$389,700$184 pricier homes ($88K more) · 6 min longer commute · less walkable
Brewerton, NY 13029 74%1,024$103,878$249,900$223 cheaper homes ($52K less) · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Winfield, WV 25213 74%805$100,711$268,600$164 cheaper homes ($33K less) · 10 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Plover, WI 54467 74%370$87,580$268,600$168 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Mankato, MN 56003 74%169$82,538$270,400$162 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger
Sartell, MN 56377 74%247$87,172$302,400$167 lower income ($33K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Fort Pierre, SD 57532 74%244$87,966$210,000$155 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($92K less) · smaller
Lansing, KS 66043 74%231$103,060$271,200$153 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute

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.