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 Elko New Market, MN 55020

Elko New Market: median income $131,071, home value $455,500, $211/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
New Kent, VA 23124 95%973$132,060$398,600$231 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Adams, TN 37010 94%641$118,179$424,900$213 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Sobieski, WI 54171 92%257$113,698$349,100$217 cheaper homes ($106K less)
Ostrander, OH 43061 91%595$157,568$400,300$229 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($55K less)
Prole, IA 50229 91%221$123,164$416,700— cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Arcadia, OK 73007 91%651$120,556$494,200$230 pricier homes ($39K more) · older residents
Fresno, CA 93737 91%1,480$127,279$525,400$262 pricier homes ($70K more) · larger
Saint Jacob, IL 62281 90%444$132,000$308,900$174 cheaper homes ($147K less)
Colbert, WA 99005 89%1,167$125,530$561,100$216 pricier homes ($106K more) · larger
Commercial Point, OH 43116 88%621$113,229$351,800$184 cheaper homes ($104K less) · smaller · younger residents
Pittsboro, IN 46167 88%478$122,723$328,600$169 cheaper homes ($127K less) · larger
Eaton, CO 80615 88%643$107,308$522,000$232 pricier homes ($67K more) · larger
Greenville, IN 47124 87%572$121,188$315,800$173 cheaper homes ($140K less) · older residents
Memphis, IN 47143 87%574$138,382$272,600$175 cheaper homes ($183K less)
Lone Jack, MO 64070 87%394$130,364$370,400$207 cheaper homes ($85K less) · older residents
Hickman, NE 68372 87%320$114,420$354,100$162 cheaper homes ($101K less)
Lavon, TX 75166 87%815$132,101$396,600$163 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
China Spring, TX 76633 87%917$106,755$404,300$226 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Tuscola, TX 79562 87%921$109,572$329,800$207 cheaper homes ($126K less)
Mead, CO 80542 87%666$133,500$614,600$192 pricier homes ($159K more)
Sandy Hook, VA 23153 86%928$122,096$462,500$245 smaller · more renters
Currituck, NC 27929 86%1,066$132,713$429,500$209 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 9 min longer commute
Morrow, OH 45152 86%594$123,366$351,700$200 cheaper homes ($104K less) · larger
Palo, IA 52324 86%191$115,917$327,400$200 cheaper homes ($128K less) · smaller
Nottingham, NH 03290 85%1,108$122,201$457,500$345 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.