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 Spring Valley, MN 55975

Spring Valley: median income $77,411, home value $210,400, $135/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Elizabethville, PA 17023 97%823$79,435$210,500$137 Very close on everything we compare
Tipton, IA 52772 95%147$81,267$225,700$152 Very close on everything we compare
Crystal City, MO 63019 94%391$72,569$186,000$164 Very close on everything we compare
Roaring Spring, PA 16673 92%753$70,464$159,500$128 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Reedsville, PA 17084 91%782$80,197$197,000$121 Very close on everything we compare
Mc Alisterville, PA 17049 90%800$70,109$215,800$153 Very close on everything we compare
Mill Hall, PA 17751 90%779$75,072$215,100$143 larger · less walkable
Forest City, PA 18421 90%868$68,256$171,400$109 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Nescopeck, PA 18635 90%844$73,480$195,800$139 less walkable
Daleville, IN 47334 90%430$71,815$183,100$138 cheaper homes ($27K less) · less walkable
Petersburg, IN 47567 90%446$72,665$164,100$125 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Anamosa, IA 52205 90%122$72,500$221,500$132 larger
Independence, MO 64058 90%330$82,192$204,200$157 larger
Valley Falls, KS 66088 90%340$75,795$196,000$134 smaller · less walkable
Holton, KS 66436 90%341$71,016$213,300$146 Very close on everything we compare
Halifax, PA 17032 89%823$81,250$226,400$150 larger
Liberty, IN 47353 89%477$76,754$167,600$148 cheaper homes ($43K less) · less walkable
Middletown, IN 47356 89%432$67,049$167,800$124 cheaper homes ($43K less) · less walkable
Monroe, IA 50170 89%154$88,704$217,000$149 Very close on everything we compare
Grundy Center, IA 50638 89%93$85,223$185,200$135 cheaper homes ($25K less)
La Porte City, IA 50651 89%93$88,333$187,600$134 less walkable
Brodhead, WI 53520 89%168$75,205$222,600$181 larger
Durand, WI 54736 89%69$74,083$185,500$132 5 min shorter commute · less walkable
Lena, IL 61048 89%157$82,875$166,600$118 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Osage City, KS 66523 89%393$74,716$167,200$122 cheaper homes ($43K 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.