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 Farmington, MN 55024

Farmington: median income $127,280, home value $378,700, $192/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Macomb, MI 48044 94%531$117,856$370,300$168 larger
Oswego, IL 60543 94%318$119,371$343,800$206 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Lake In The Hills, IL 60156 93%297$117,151$321,900$201 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Chesapeake, VA 23323 92%1,033$108,730$388,300$222 Very close on everything we compare
Pickerington, OH 43147 92%624$126,534$348,300$185 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Joliet, IL 60431 92%343$122,870$294,300$189 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Severn, MD 21144 91%927$136,684$483,700$239 pricier homes ($105K more)
Hudsonville, MI 49426 91%383$112,234$371,200$214 5 min shorter commute
Wentzville, MO 63385 91%422$112,199$347,200$189 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Chesterfield, VA 23832 90%953$111,684$363,000$210 more single-family homes
Pataskala, OH 43062 90%624$105,968$326,600$202 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Oxford, MI 48371 90%509$111,239$370,200$196 Very close on everything we compare
Algonquin, IL 60102 90%298$132,949$349,900$206 cheaper homes ($29K less) · older residents
Hampshire, IL 60140 90%293$111,241$338,200$196 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller
Yorkville, IL 60560 90%316$110,326$346,300$195 cheaper homes ($32K less) · 6 min longer commute
Plainfield, IL 60586 90%328$131,637$328,400$198 cheaper homes ($50K less) · 6 min longer commute
Chesapeake, VA 23321 89%1,028$101,568$367,900$209 lower income ($26K less)
Navarre, FL 32566 89%1,041$105,551$385,100$223 Very close on everything we compare
Trussville, AL 35173 89%838$117,105$345,300$184 cheaper homes ($33K less) · more single-family homes
Crestwood, KY 40014 89%591$121,189$393,700$187 smaller
Sunbury, OH 43074 89%606$119,296$426,100$205 pricier homes ($47K more) · smaller
Bartlett, IL 60103 89%310$133,793$379,000$232 Very close on everything we compare
O Fallon, MO 63368 89%427$124,297$349,200$177 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Midlothian, TX 76065 89%867$127,756$425,100$189 pricier homes ($46K more)
Weatherford, TX 76087 89%858$114,306$383,200$210 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.