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 Saint Charles, MN 55972

Saint Charles: median income $98,878, home value $287,800, $166/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
De Witt, IA 52742 96%166$97,946$261,000$165 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Bonner Springs, KS 66012 95%369$97,873$276,500$191 larger
Mount Wolf, PA 17347 94%831$98,261$254,300$167 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Haubstadt, IN 47639 94%461$97,930$276,100$186 Very close on everything we compare
Lisbon, IA 52253 94%145$104,821$238,400$167 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller
Trenton, IL 62293 94%389$98,155$250,600$116 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Bradford, VT 05033 93%988$105,250$255,600$164 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
Perry, OH 44081 93%572$96,500$242,600$202 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Glenwood, IA 51534 93%275$93,646$246,600$177 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger
Sturtevant, WI 53177 93%226$90,769$250,000$206 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger
Fall Creek, WI 54742 93%68$102,083$282,100$189 Very close on everything we compare
Dell Rapids, SD 57022 93%233$100,656$325,200$192 pricier homes ($37K more)
Elk Point, SD 57025 93%248$94,839$237,900$179 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller
Woodbine, NJ 08270 92%946$99,592$303,400$233 larger
Holland Patent, NY 13354 92%840$101,733$241,900$158 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller
Womelsdorf, PA 19567 92%847$91,458$250,600$168 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Ottawa, OH 45875 92%455$93,144$229,800$160 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger
Mount Vernon, IA 52314 92%144$109,244$265,100$177 Very close on everything we compare
Seymour, WI 54165 92%189$87,048$247,000$189 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Breese, IL 62230 92%391$91,350$229,300$153 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Ashland, NE 68003 92%298$95,709$306,500$185 Very close on everything we compare
Wahoo, NE 68066 92%300$101,438$266,900$166 more renters
Winfield, WV 25213 91%648$100,711$268,600$164 newer homes
Hartville, OH 44632 91%584$91,061$267,500$199 larger
Minster, OH 45865 91%464$89,000$286,300$177 6 min shorter commute

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.