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 Ringle, WI 54471

Ringle: median income $87,368, home value $290,100, $198/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Crescent, IA 51526 93%405$95,179$334,300$206 pricier homes ($44K more)
Wrenshall, MN 55797 92%183$87,039$257,400$229 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Carlos, MN 56319 92%294$89,712$273,100$228 Very close on everything we compare
Beaufort, MO 63013 92%458$99,337$290,700$206 5 min longer commute
Freeburg, MO 65035 91%472$90,815$237,300$228 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Hoyt, KS 66440 91%506$97,109$234,700$226 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Paxinos, PA 17860 90%706$92,000$275,800$182 6 min longer commute
Onondaga, MI 49264 90%298$92,188$235,700$179 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Britt, MN 55710 90%243$86,477$280,400$170 older homes
Miltona, MN 56354 90%296$88,693$403,700$235 pricier homes ($114K more)
Laporte, MN 56461 90%302$78,188$273,700$193 larger
Pauline, SC 29374 89%807$78,397$247,000$196 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger
Stoutsville, OH 43154 89%499$91,250$250,700$228 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
Sherrill, IA 52073 89%174$95,526$297,400$128 Very close on everything we compare
Darwin, MN 55324 89%244$83,269$355,100$196 pricier homes ($65K more)
Rollingstone, MN 55969 89%130$94,444$291,800$157 older homes
Dalton, MN 56324 89%325$82,917$252,600$160 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller · older homes
Minot, ME 04258 88%940$95,655$294,900$208 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Galway, NY 12074 88%776$94,583$304,800$234 larger
Swoope, VA 24479 88%706$80,583$390,400$191 pricier homes ($100K more) · younger residents
Goode, VA 24556 88%737$87,250$399,000$204 pricier homes ($109K more) · larger
Marshallville, OH 44645 88%478$84,756$230,400$212 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger · older homes
Laotto, IN 46763 88%329$97,054$270,800$155 Very close on everything we compare
Cement City, MI 49233 88%323$81,250$229,600$196 cheaper homes ($61K less) · larger
Dahinda, IL 61428 88%277$77,143$285,100$185 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.