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 Ashby, MN 56309

Ashby: median income $84,750, home value $289,900, $140/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lawton, IA 51030 95%248$86,167$271,000$148 Very close on everything we compare
Walker, IA 52352 95%330$92,321$231,300$131 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Turbotville, PA 17772 94%1,011$81,146$241,900$136 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger
Sterling, OH 44276 94%784$86,583$231,300$152 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Deer Park, WI 54007 94%179$85,398$309,400— Very close on everything we compare
Wallingford, VT 05773 93%1,131$80,726$261,700$155 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Jim Falls, WI 54748 93%231$78,750$235,100$161 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Arlington, SD 57212 93%133$93,750$238,100— cheaper homes ($52K less)
Wellsville, PA 17365 92%1,036$91,742$261,800$155 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Saint Cloud, WI 53079 92%405$86,667$260,000$181 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Highland, WI 53543 92%340$77,031$236,700$184 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Casco, WI 54205 92%411$90,781$252,900$140 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger
Syracuse, NE 68446 92%375$90,746$236,700$127 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger
Lenhartsville, PA 19534 91%1,069$80,357$293,100$204 larger
Sherrill, IA 52073 91%344$95,526$297,400$128 Very close on everything we compare
Darien, WI 53114 91%424$72,708$241,000$159 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger
Coon Valley, WI 54623 91%286$88,864$276,400$181 Very close on everything we compare
Doniphan, NE 68832 91%389$96,641$250,000$154 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger
New Berlin, PA 17855 90%1,007$88,929$216,700$151 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Bartonsville, PA 18321 90%1,082$100,481$242,100$153 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Sciota, PA 18354 90%1,083$85,588$252,600$157 cheaper homes ($37K less) · younger residents
Milan, PA 18831 90%999$82,132$216,900$122 cheaper homes ($73K less) · older residents
Springville, PA 18844 90%1,033$92,750$246,300— cheaper homes ($44K less)
Warne, NC 28909 90%986$80,875$285,400$153 Very close on everything we compare
Lucas, OH 44843 90%768$90,366$208,700$127 cheaper homes ($81K 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.