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 Saint Cloud, MN 56301

Saint Cloud: median income $73,142, home value $288,600, $149/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Menomonie, WI 54751 93%119$72,028$253,000$168 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Salisbury, MD 21804 91%1,076$73,156$243,700$164 cheaper homes ($45K less) · older residents
Baton Rouge, LA 70816 90%1,058$67,353$240,100$137 cheaper homes ($49K less) · older residents
Milwaukee, WI 53224 89%345$67,803$211,100$150 cheaper homes ($78K less) · smaller
Warrensburg, MO 64093 89%469$61,094$236,300$155 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Laredo, TX 78041 89%1,276$61,544$221,300$152 cheaper homes ($67K less) · older residents
Dover, DE 19901 88%1,048$66,388$273,000$183 older residents
Columbus, GA 31909 87%1,025$69,166$221,300$149 cheaper homes ($67K less) · older residents
Pensacola, FL 32514 87%1,104$66,644$259,600$167 cheaper homes ($29K less) · older residents
Bloomington, IN 47403 87%589$70,582$239,700$185 cheaper homes ($49K less) · older residents
Whitewater, WI 53190 87%328$66,069$265,100$222 smaller
Minot, ND 58701 87%384$73,269$277,800$144 older residents
Minot, ND 58703 87%388$82,728$263,200$143 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller · older residents
Euless, TX 76040 87%892$72,661$297,900$195 older residents
Stephenville, TX 76401 87%945$61,210$270,000$200 Very close on everything we compare
Lubbock, TX 79416 87%922$63,896$213,700$147 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Odessa, TX 79762 87%1,040$75,272$232,900$123 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Radford, VA 24141 86%913$62,969$236,400$163 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller · older residents
Fayetteville, NC 28311 86%1,076$62,170$216,900$151 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Carrollton, GA 30117 86%957$61,842$267,700$173 older residents
Grand Rapids, MI 49508 86%461$70,120$281,600$187 older residents
Wyoming, MI 49519 86%457$73,762$238,700$189 cheaper homes ($50K less) · older residents
Lincoln, NE 68521 86%348$67,483$252,800$162 cheaper homes ($36K less) · older residents
Norman, OK 73071 86%732$64,007$215,200$160 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Denton, TX 76209 86%864$75,069$274,300$192 older residents

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.