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 Welch, MN 55089

Welch: median income $108,750, home value $384,800, $238/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hampton, CT 06247 95%1,056$108,854$293,000$263 cheaper homes ($92K less)
Bozrah, CT 06334 95%1,056$107,969$310,400$236 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Washington Boro, PA 17582 94%889$100,263$304,800$211 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Kansasville, WI 53139 94%265$99,635$305,500$285 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger
Galway, NY 12074 93%937$94,583$304,800$234 cheaper homes ($80K less) · larger
Zionsville, PA 18092 93%919$112,721$422,200$219 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger
Saint Charles, IA 50240 93%235$107,563$305,800$288 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Star Prairie, WI 54026 93%42$95,833$342,200$277 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Forest Ranch, CA 95942 93%1,508$116,400$448,000$226 pricier homes ($63K more)
Voluntown, CT 06384 92%1,070$106,518$354,900$311 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
West Falls, NY 14170 92%713$116,746$337,700$235 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Earleville, MD 21919 92%931$106,500$373,200$224 larger
Crescent, IA 51526 92%273$95,179$334,300$206 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Malone, WI 53049 92%225$93,424$286,000$261 cheaper homes ($99K less)
Merrimac, WI 53561 92%175$91,103$427,600$251 pricier homes ($43K more)
Hager City, WI 54014 92%9$101,667$302,900$208 cheaper homes ($82K less) · older residents
Holt, MO 64048 92%367$103,131$337,900$255 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger
North Franklin, CT 06254 91%1,056$105,000$326,200$246 cheaper homes ($59K less) · younger residents
Columbia, NJ 07832 91%929$106,424$355,200$237 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
East Berne, NY 12059 91%942$106,506$340,400$215 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Feura Bush, NY 12067 91%950$125,521$390,700$219 older residents
Pequea, PA 17565 91%898$125,313$340,100$247 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
Galena, MD 21635 91%937$101,618$402,000$258 Very close on everything we compare
Shenandoah Junction, WV 25442 91%845$111,419$393,600$200 larger · newer homes
Neosho, WI 53059 91%228$91,114$342,800$232 cheaper homes ($42K less)

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.