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 Nicollet, MN 56074

Nicollet: median income $92,813, home value $293,700, $160/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Botkins, OH 45306 94%574$86,354$255,600$157 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Bangor, WI 54614 94%162$85,588$250,300$171 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger
Larchwood, IA 51241 93%126$87,446$280,600$145 Very close on everything we compare
Parker, SD 57053 93%159$93,393$273,800$212 Very close on everything we compare
Wanchese, NC 27981 92%1,136$88,750$311,800$185 Very close on everything we compare
Belmont, WI 53510 92%220$82,083$229,800$169 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Eleva, WI 54738 92%135$95,179$290,400$191 larger
Battle Creek, NE 68715 92%233$95,714$238,800$123 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Lewisville, ID 83431 92%886$90,833$241,700$208 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller
Epworth, IA 52045 91%207$91,667$263,500$141 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · younger residents
Cleveland, WI 53015 91%319$88,810$222,200$164 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Wentworth, NH 03282 90%1,103$98,333$304,500$208 smaller
Vernon, VT 05354 90%1,088$85,682$285,100$204 older residents
Russia, OH 45363 90%572$95,268$316,900— Very close on everything we compare
Walker, IA 52352 90%183$92,321$231,300$131 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Chaseburg, WI 54621 90%160$94,286$280,000$202 7 min longer commute
Washburn, ND 58577 90%390$74,471$260,100$145 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Tolono, IL 61880 90%424$85,536$227,900$147 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger
Pleasanton, NE 68866 90%339$94,792$262,300— cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Ropesville, TX 79358 90%861$90,333$217,600$206 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Cottonwood, ID 83522 90%1,084$79,688$250,000$178 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Adams Center, NY 13606 89%901$88,977$203,900$143 cheaper homes ($90K less)
Wade, NC 28395 89%1,032$84,375$263,000$166 cheaper homes ($31K less) · newer homes
West Liberty, OH 43357 89%601$92,448$235,300$212 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger
Anna, OH 45302 89%575$91,602$242,300$178 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger

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.