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 Eldridge, IA 52748

Eldridge: median income $107,869, home value $326,600, $185/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Waterville, OH 43566 96%353$105,985$305,600$195 Very close on everything we compare
Mahomet, IL 61853 94%152$115,512$282,200$191 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Lees Summit, MO 64064 93%272$117,674$389,000$184 pricier homes ($62K more) · larger
Peninsula, OH 44264 92%468$101,852$354,600$215 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Maineville, OH 45039 92%369$108,794$327,200$196 larger
Mount Horeb, WI 53572 92%102$108,750$416,700$217 pricier homes ($90K more)
West Salem, WI 54669 92%157$103,194$312,300$168 Very close on everything we compare
Pelham, AL 35124 91%614$99,726$307,600$182 larger
Twinsburg, OH 44087 91%472$99,270$320,400$199 larger
Broadview Heights, OH 44147 91%461$103,125$316,700$200 larger
New Hudson, MI 48165 91%360$106,220$389,000$203 pricier homes ($62K more)
Oregon, WI 53575 91%106$107,885$432,800$230 pricier homes ($106K more) · larger
Waconia, MN 55387 91%273$114,511$440,300$215 pricier homes ($114K more) · larger
Dewitt, MI 48820 90%317$112,526$337,100$181 larger
Deforest, WI 53532 90%126$110,022$371,600$227 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger
Bloomington, IL 61705 90%115$120,547$328,200$140 Very close on everything we compare
Columbia, IL 62236 90%224$108,981$306,600$156 Very close on everything we compare
Victor, NY 14564 89%677$115,625$353,900$218 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger · older residents
Oakdale, PA 15071 89%548$102,328$275,000$192 cheaper homes ($52K less) · more renters
Port Matilda, PA 16870 89%651$121,528$411,100$235 pricier homes ($85K more)
Reading, PA 19608 89%763$110,173$332,400$178 larger
Yorktown, VA 23692 89%813$109,066$417,200$222 pricier homes ($91K more) · larger
Newberry, FL 32669 89%941$99,548$343,300$198 larger · newer homes
Lexington, KY 40514 89%407$95,914$315,500$197 larger · more renters
Macedonia, OH 44056 89%469$101,285$308,500$195 Very close on everything we compare

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.