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.

Reset

Towns most like Stevens Point, WI 54481

Stevens Point: median income $59,545, home value $201,000, $168/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Winona, MN 55987 94%111$61,624$221,800$157 Very close on everything we compare
Radford, VA 24141 93%694$62,969$236,400$163 pricier homes ($35K more)
High Point, NC 27262 93%775$65,006$236,500$155 pricier homes ($36K more)
Big Rapids, MI 49307 93%210$60,358$187,800$157 smaller
Bloomsburg, PA 17815 92%707$67,510$222,900$160 Very close on everything we compare
Great Falls, MT 59405 91%1,057$59,449$250,100$194 pricier homes ($49K more) · older residents
Cortland, NY 13045 90%682$69,961$167,500$155 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Potsdam, NY 13676 90%717$56,170$160,200$147 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller
Fayetteville, NC 28303 90%860$58,223$189,500$142 Very close on everything we compare
Fairborn, OH 45324 90%432$64,979$184,200$155 older residents
Kirksville, MO 63501 90%337$60,729$168,200$114 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Hays, KS 67601 90%637$61,417$227,300$133 pricier homes ($26K more)
Bellevue, NE 68005 89%397$66,551$205,900$153 older residents
Lafayette, LA 70506 89%998$57,379$218,000$135 newer homes
Alamosa, CO 81101 89%978$54,844$240,400$183 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller · newer homes
Rochester, NY 14623 88%602$65,342$181,300$201 Very close on everything we compare
Murray, KY 42071 88%551$50,198$190,300$151 newer homes
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701 88%498$66,654$219,800$135 Very close on everything we compare
Rolla, MO 65401 88%468$56,081$222,800$138 newer homes
Wichita Falls, TX 76308 88%878$74,772$213,500$131 Very close on everything we compare
Plattsburgh, NY 12901 87%790$60,942$189,400$166 older residents
Kent, OH 44240 87%477$57,627$226,500$177 pricier homes ($26K more) · 5 min longer commute
Mishawaka, IN 46545 87%260$56,865$177,900$159 older residents
Marquette, MI 49855 87%175$62,083$263,300$224 pricier homes ($62K more) · older residents
Saint Cloud, MN 56303 87%238$65,198$205,200$145 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.