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 Hopkinton, IA 52237

Hopkinton: median income $84,063, home value $166,800, $104/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hamlet, IN 46532 91%248$84,866$145,100$138 Very close on everything we compare
Tiro, OH 44887 88%448$85,793$135,000$159 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Hillsboro, IN 47949 88%264$76,429$118,800$112 cheaper homes ($48K less) · older residents
Friend, NE 68359 88%333$90,909$179,900$109 older residents
Hardin, MO 64035 87%247$86,756$138,300$144 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · older residents
Boyd, WI 54726 85%180$78,500$192,100$114 pricier homes ($25K more) · older residents
Atlanta, IL 61723 84%178$85,230$150,800$113 older residents
Shelton, NE 68876 84%402$82,207$163,800$108 older residents · 8 min shorter commute
Penn, PA 15675 83%617$76,406$112,700$90 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Eldorado, OH 45321 83%381$69,135$150,900$87 older homes
Monroe, IN 46772 83%350$80,000$241,600$130 pricier homes ($75K more) · larger · newer homes
Boswell, IN 47921 83%237$100,455$165,000$114 older residents
Nortonville, KS 66060 83%294$77,222$155,800— older residents
White Deer, TX 79097 83%716$88,182$144,600— older residents · more renters
Gnadenhutten, OH 44629 82%527$81,625$159,300$191 Very close on everything we compare
Grover Hill, OH 45849 82%360$77,841$124,500$99 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller · older residents
Loganville, WI 53943 82%96$73,000$225,600— pricier homes ($59K more) · older residents
Blue Mound, IL 62513 82%214$83,125$142,900$82 older residents
Blain, PA 17006 81%725$64,722$169,500$114 smaller · more renters
Akron, IN 46910 81%283$69,226$204,200$123 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger · older residents
Colfax, IL 61728 81%183$97,159$155,200$100 older residents
Helena, OH 43435 80%414$89,000$176,400$167 older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Shiloh, OH 44878 80%461$74,821$179,500$138 8 min shorter commute
Deerfield, MI 49238 80%384$75,054$208,200$163 pricier homes ($41K more) · older residents
Forrest, IL 61741 80%183$87,850$167,700$99 older residents · 10 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.