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 Mankato, MN 56001

Mankato: median income $69,531, home value $276,700, $158/sq ft, 15-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Brookings, SD 57006 92%139$66,337$273,900$155 smaller
Menomonie, WI 54751 91%113$72,028$253,000$168 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Lubbock, TX 79416 89%845$63,896$213,700$147 cheaper homes ($63K less) · newer homes
Eau Claire, WI 54701 88%131$74,361$289,900$184 older residents
Laredo, TX 78041 88%1,187$61,544$221,300$152 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Logan, UT 84321 88%915$69,148$400,500$215 pricier homes ($124K more)
Abilene, TX 79606 87%870$79,196$272,600$192 smaller · older residents
Stevens Point, WI 54481 86%221$59,545$201,000$168 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller · older homes
Eau Claire, WI 54703 86%131$71,518$243,700$178 cheaper homes ($33K less) · older residents
Wichita Falls, TX 76308 86%751$74,772$213,500$131 cheaper homes ($63K less) · smaller
Stephenville, TX 76401 86%855$61,210$270,000$200 smaller
Salisbury, MD 21804 85%1,037$73,156$243,700$164 cheaper homes ($33K less) · 8 min longer commute
Bloomington, IN 47403 85%517$70,582$239,700$185 cheaper homes ($37K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Whitewater, WI 53190 85%279$66,069$265,100$222 smaller
Warrensburg, MO 64093 85%372$61,094$236,300$155 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Rolla, MO 65401 85%444$56,081$222,800$138 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller · older residents
Kearney, NE 68845 85%352$76,978$282,000$147 smaller · older residents
Weatherford, OK 73096 85%645$59,138$248,600$134 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Lynchburg, VA 24502 84%902$68,872$228,100$168 cheaper homes ($49K less) · more walkable
Dalton, GA 30720 84%806$69,369$249,800$146 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller · older residents
Columbus, GA 31909 84%940$69,166$221,300$149 cheaper homes ($55K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Grand Rapids, MI 49508 84%428$70,120$281,600$187 older residents · 6 min longer commute
Dickinson, ND 58601 84%462$85,821$278,800$164 smaller · older residents
Minot, ND 58701 84%448$73,269$277,800$144 smaller · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Minot, ND 58703 84%453$82,728$263,200$143 smaller

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.