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 Monticello, IA 52310

Monticello: median income $86,080, home value $195,800, $111/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Versailles, OH 45380 95%375$84,135$235,300$139 pricier homes ($40K more)
Ferdinand, IN 47532 95%359$84,750$236,200$107 pricier homes ($40K more)
Lancaster, WI 53813 94%49$84,004$220,400$118 Very close on everything we compare
Ponca City, OK 74604 94%491$80,331$210,000$117 larger
Girard, PA 16417 93%558$88,041$190,300$141 Very close on everything we compare
Mount Vernon, IN 47620 93%345$75,681$214,400$128 larger
Canton, SD 57013 93%283$76,458$226,000$131 pricier homes ($30K more)
Lena, IL 61048 93%71$82,875$166,600$118 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Knoxville, IL 61448 93%103$82,500$146,100$116 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller
Chillicothe, IL 61523 93%127$79,453$161,700$125 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger
Carlyle, IL 62231 93%268$84,214$167,500$102 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Allegany, NY 14706 92%650$73,236$176,000$111 Very close on everything we compare
Boonville, IN 47601 92%356$78,663$194,500$150 larger
Caledonia, MN 55921 92%97$80,161$201,600$132 Very close on everything we compare
Hazen, ND 58545 92%619$81,641$202,700$114 smaller
Red Bud, IL 62278 92%286$79,688$178,300$122 younger residents
Higginsville, MO 64037 92%255$91,843$187,100$151 Very close on everything we compare
Inman, KS 67546 92%445$76,739$192,800$107 smaller
Tunkhannock, PA 18657 91%785$75,317$218,100$142 larger
Kenova, WV 25530 91%529$70,508$162,100$112 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Williamstown, WV 26187 91%546$83,226$198,300$145 Very close on everything we compare
Durand, WI 54736 91%170$74,083$185,500$132 smaller
Colona, IL 61241 91%68$80,000$165,900$140 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Morrison, IL 61270 91%69$80,867$164,600$101 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Nashville, IL 62263 91%286$71,690$164,900$124 cheaper homes ($31K less)

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.