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.

Reset

Towns most like Lime Springs, IA 52155

Lime Springs: median income $57,917, home value $116,500, $103/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bloomville, OH 44818 90%504$63,922$141,300$116 larger
Hamler, OH 43524 89%448$60,882$165,800$71 pricier homes ($49K more)
De Kalb Junction, NY 13630 88%846$63,333$92,700$82 6 min shorter commute
Camden, IN 46917 88%355$61,643$143,900$132 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger
Akron, MI 48701 88%437$62,969$112,200$108 newer homes
Cambridge, IL 61238 88%183$64,583$131,100$106 larger · 5 min shorter commute
Hollsopple, PA 15935 87%720$61,941$99,600$121 larger · 5 min shorter commute
Irvona, PA 16656 86%725$48,071$101,200— newer homes
Adena, OH 43901 86%627$63,603$107,600$114 larger · more renters
Summerville, PA 15864 85%688$65,859$141,400$109 larger · newer homes
Dunkirk, OH 45836 85%479$56,250$119,700$117 younger residents
Toulon, IL 61483 85%204$63,558$109,100$110 larger · more renters
Jewett, OH 43986 84%617$54,375$150,000$99 pricier homes ($34K more) · more renters · newer homes
Ohio, IL 61349 84%195$71,375$119,200$126 younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Toluca, IL 61369 84%233$68,708$120,400$106 newer homes
Waldron, MI 49288 83%415$66,833$147,500$129 pricier homes ($31K more) · younger residents
Fairfax, MN 55332 83%143$62,361$144,300$92 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Hoyt Lakes, MN 55750 83%281$65,833$93,300$98 larger · newer homes
Milledgeville, IL 61051 83%163$59,565$104,200$89 younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Nebo, IL 62355 83%289$65,750$108,700— newer homes
Mclean, TX 79057 83%721$70,865$91,300— cheaper homes ($25K less) · newer homes
Mount Savage, MD 21545 82%739$60,264$130,700$111 larger · 8 min shorter commute
Holgate, OH 43527 82%442$58,821$136,300$120 larger · 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Clayton, MI 49235 82%424$64,219$173,500$124 pricier homes ($57K more) · larger · newer homes
Gibbon, MN 55335 82%136$62,206$149,300$98 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · 7 min shorter 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.