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 Oxford, IA 52322

Oxford: median income $64,444, home value $261,100, $113/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Newport Center, VT 05857 92%1,003$71,683$244,400$108 smaller
Pine Level, NC 27568 91%843$66,071$230,800— cheaper homes ($30K less)
Washburn, ND 58577 90%600$74,471$260,100$145 Very close on everything we compare
Lavalette, WV 25535 89%545$72,446$216,700$105 cheaper homes ($44K less) · older residents
Chapman, KS 67431 89%332$82,500$199,500$117 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Mooreland, OK 73852 89%536$66,229$161,200$88 cheaper homes ($100K less)
Spencer, NY 14883 88%785$68,750$207,700$148 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger
Volant, PA 16156 88%599$69,054$221,400— cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger
Factoryville, PA 18419 88%826$61,402$224,800$156 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger
New Berlin, IL 62670 88%164$78,750$211,900$134 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Velva, ND 58790 87%630$83,233$224,600$108 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Gibbon, NE 68840 87%373$76,394$208,100$91 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Blair, OK 73526 87%627$65,536$221,600$114 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Texhoma, OK 73949 87%645$62,477$155,100$95 cheaper homes ($106K less)
Kemmerer, WY 83101 87%965$76,947$191,200$125 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger
Jay, ME 04239 86%1,103$70,238$168,600$126 cheaper homes ($93K less) · larger
Sedgwick, KS 67135 86%396$74,939$213,700$168 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger
Sublette, KS 67877 86%559$66,492$187,000$141 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Aurora, NE 68818 86%329$81,045$263,900$123 larger
Stonewall, OK 74871 86%548$70,838$177,800$145 cheaper homes ($83K less)
Manassa, CO 81141 86%815$59,539$202,500— cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller
Meeker, CO 81641 86%849$63,070$329,700$174 pricier homes ($69K more) · larger
Castle Dale, UT 84513 86%1,024$82,958$218,200$152 cheaper homes ($43K less)
New York Mills, MN 56567 85%384$72,500$215,300$132 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Boulder, MT 59632 85%1,057$68,750$278,800$180 older residents

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.