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 Belle Plaine, MN 56011

Belle Plaine: median income $102,522, home value $345,300, $175/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Peculiar, MO 64078 97%409$103,922$301,900$176 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Smithville, MO 64089 96%363$101,009$327,200$196 Very close on everything we compare
Troutman, NC 28166 95%916$93,511$348,600$191 Very close on everything we compare
Walton, KY 41094 95%614$96,515$293,700$185 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Charlestown, IN 47111 95%596$95,376$264,100$180 cheaper homes ($81K less) · larger
Brunswick, GA 31523 94%1,137$88,988$310,400$177 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger
Pendleton, IN 46064 94%519$94,609$283,600$166 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger
Georgetown, IN 47122 94%594$107,500$284,300$164 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Middleville, MI 49333 94%435$89,214$324,700$203 Very close on everything we compare
Chester, VA 23836 93%990$100,921$356,400$192 larger
Midland, NC 28107 93%952$105,122$385,500$191 pricier homes ($40K more)
Medina, TN 38355 93%663$108,982$282,200$174 cheaper homes ($63K less)
La Grange, KY 40031 93%609$98,513$341,000$181 larger
Alexandria, KY 41001 93%621$102,447$283,600$185 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger
Channahon, IL 60410 93%356$118,976$320,800$184 Very close on everything we compare
Goddard, KS 67052 93%520$103,148$288,500$159 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Tuttle, OK 73089 93%679$103,048$291,300$173 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Flint, TX 75762 93%862$90,057$299,500$178 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Magnolia, DE 19962 92%1,012$104,260$374,200$187 pricier homes ($29K more)
Winfield, WV 25213 92%744$100,711$268,600$164 cheaper homes ($77K less) · smaller
Simpsonville, KY 40067 92%619$97,684$361,100$200 smaller
Monroe, OH 45050 92%600$104,282$293,100$181 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Danville, IN 46122 92%499$99,531$304,900$165 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger
Dell Rapids, SD 57022 92%157$100,656$325,200$192 smaller
Eudora, KS 66025 92%399$114,868$311,100$184 cheaper homes ($34K 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.