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 Essex, IA 51638

Essex: median income $59,107, home value $120,700, $162/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dillonvale, OH 43917 91%761$59,280$93,900$169 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger
Crawford, NE 69339 90%437$65,529$95,800— Very close on everything we compare
Caldwell, KS 67022 89%291$60,000$89,700$191 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Chappell, NE 69129 89%374$67,105$107,000— 5 min longer commute
Hollsopple, PA 15935 88%858$61,941$99,600$121 larger · younger residents
Mount Savage, MD 21545 87%868$60,264$130,700$111 younger residents
New Washington, OH 44854 87%649$70,357$146,200$134 pricier homes ($26K more) · younger residents
La Moille, IL 61330 87%315$69,005$147,600$115 pricier homes ($27K more)
Bradford, IL 61421 87%295$65,833$91,300$208 cheaper homes ($29K less) · younger residents
Emerson, NE 68733 87%124$64,479$132,600— younger residents
Holgate, OH 43527 86%581$58,821$136,300$120 larger · newer homes
Darlington, IN 47940 86%451$70,711$152,100$157 pricier homes ($31K more) · younger residents
Oxford, IN 47971 86%422$64,375$152,600$149 pricier homes ($32K more) · younger residents
Fairfax, MO 64446 86%36$56,949$101,800— newer homes
Humboldt, NE 68376 86%58$52,000$98,600$99 Very close on everything we compare
Rising Star, TX 76471 86%636$54,773$141,700$142 newer homes
Lyons Falls, NY 13368 85%1,035$62,159$128,700$147 newer homes
Roann, IN 46974 85%489$61,528$179,600$139 pricier homes ($59K more) · newer homes
Gibbon, MN 55335 85%260$62,206$149,300$98 pricier homes ($29K more)
Toulon, IL 61483 85%284$63,558$109,100$110 younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Hay Springs, NE 69347 85%400$76,133$116,300— Very close on everything we compare
Nedrow, NY 13120 84%993$55,682$112,700$157 7 min shorter commute · more walkable
Lowellville, OH 44436 84%769$69,514$143,700$125 larger · newer homes
Wawaka, IN 46794 84%512$63,583$211,000$173 pricier homes ($90K more)
Unionville, MI 48767 84%634$77,938$123,100— 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.