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 Elk Mound, WI 54739

Elk Mound: median income $88,667, home value $260,400, $180/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mount Vernon, TX 75457 97%830$83,916$249,800$178 Very close on everything we compare
Coopersville, MI 49404 96%311$86,096$295,100$195 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger
Shallowater, TX 79363 95%947$96,128$210,100$191 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Stevens, PA 17578 94%851$81,990$314,900$196 pricier homes ($55K more)
Wade, NC 28395 94%957$84,375$263,000$166 smaller
Nashport, OH 43830 94%591$88,346$234,100$186 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Hallsville, MO 65255 94%399$83,900$262,200$201 Very close on everything we compare
Broadway, VA 22815 93%791$74,899$278,700$190 larger
Walkertown, NC 27051 93%850$74,804$209,900$181 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Mount Airy, GA 30563 93%834$84,561$240,500$184 Very close on everything we compare
West Liberty, OH 43357 93%513$92,448$235,300$212 cheaper homes ($25K less) · older homes
Rootstown, OH 44272 93%589$83,173$261,300$170 Very close on everything we compare
Saranac, MI 48881 93%349$78,607$226,800$188 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Albany, MN 56307 93%150$84,097$281,400$179 more walkable
Topeka, KS 66617 93%446$86,761$232,900$162 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Sperry, OK 74073 93%634$87,045$271,100$171 Very close on everything we compare
Troy, TX 76579 93%993$85,480$229,700$151 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Dayville, CT 06241 92%1,014$88,389$298,200$234 pricier homes ($38K more)
Delmar, MD 21875 92%941$83,665$234,500$166 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Dayton, VA 22821 92%784$84,603$267,100$225 Very close on everything we compare
Ashville, OH 43103 92%570$83,291$270,200$175 larger
Leesburg, OH 45135 92%564$79,629$210,000$165 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Bristol, IN 46507 92%366$82,683$245,400$162 larger
Alanson, MI 49706 92%338$76,906$248,500$235 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Joseph, MN 56374 92%138$80,156$292,000$174 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger

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.