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 Dawson, MN 56232

Dawson: median income $75,069, home value $172,300, $92/sq ft, 15-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Freeman, SD 57029 95%129$73,750$179,700$107 Very close on everything we compare
Osceola, NE 68651 93%269$78,487$191,300$99 smaller
Alma, NE 68920 93%373$80,938$166,700— smaller
Grant, NE 69140 93%402$70,417$160,800— Very close on everything we compare
Elkader, IA 52043 92%272$76,705$165,000$131 Very close on everything we compare
Northwood, IA 50459 91%173$71,618$149,600$108 5 min longer commute
Reinbeck, IA 50669 91%250$81,650$183,000$87 6 min longer commute
Marcus, IA 51035 91%147$79,338$209,700$109 pricier homes ($37K more)
Chinook, MT 59523 91%671$73,906$218,300— pricier homes ($46K more)
Quinter, KS 67752 91%460$74,861$133,100$76 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Gothenburg, NE 69138 91%345$77,604$199,300$105 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger · newer homes
Hemingford, NE 69348 91%394$76,719$133,600— cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Norway, MI 49870 90%400$75,179$121,100$94 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Sibley, IA 51249 90%107$61,500$160,700$117 Very close on everything we compare
Glidden, IA 51443 90%209$78,906$191,000$139 Very close on everything we compare
Odebolt, IA 51458 90%186$86,250$149,400— smaller
Harlan, IA 51537 90%230$65,000$166,800$108 larger
Parkston, SD 57366 90%142$78,155$184,600$104 newer homes
Marceline, MO 64658 90%394$75,848$144,700$98 cheaper homes ($28K less) · newer homes
Ness City, KS 67560 90%491$68,654$121,700$93 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller
Oakley, KS 67748 90%472$78,083$137,100— cheaper homes ($35K less) · more renters
Cambridge, NE 69022 90%383$64,719$152,400— smaller · older residents
Osage, IA 50461 89%197$68,886$180,400$134 larger
New Hampton, IA 50659 89%227$78,153$206,900$122 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger
Ellsworth, KS 67439 89%443$73,409$158,300— newer homes

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.