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 Fergus Falls, MN 56537

Fergus Falls: median income $65,473, home value $246,500, $137/sq ft, 15-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Yankton, SD 57078 98%243$71,268$233,900$151 Very close on everything we compare
Marshfield, WI 54449 96%307$67,551$211,600$146 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Rice Lake, WI 54868 96%216$64,318$227,800$158 Very close on everything we compare
Paducah, KY 42001 94%742$71,365$215,300$143 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Jasper, IN 47546 94%719$73,659$252,800$136 Very close on everything we compare
Spencer, IA 51301 94%221$63,402$188,300$122 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller
Grinnell, IA 50112 93%355$67,078$214,900$136 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller · younger residents
Wausau, WI 54401 93%321$71,586$196,700$165 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger
Tomah, WI 54660 93%316$61,186$197,200$152 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Saint Joseph, MO 64506 93%453$65,573$240,300$150 Very close on everything we compare
Selinsgrove, PA 17870 92%1,030$70,339$236,800$172 Very close on everything we compare
Ludington, MI 49431 92%496$66,336$237,700$203 Very close on everything we compare
Gaylord, MI 49735 92%558$70,819$227,200$145 Very close on everything we compare
Monroe, WI 53566 92%407$74,058$220,400$156 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Madison, SD 57042 92%165$71,868$228,200$155 smaller
Watertown, SD 57201 92%107$72,878$242,700$144 Very close on everything we compare
Miles City, MT 59301 92%465$71,332$217,900— cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
Grand Island, NE 68803 92%387$73,463$244,200$121 Very close on everything we compare
Fort Smith, AR 72908 92%762$72,732$197,000$132 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Torrington, WY 82240 92%496$60,766$244,700$120 smaller
Du Bois, PA 15801 91%934$67,583$181,800$151 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Johnstown, PA 15904 91%958$67,394$176,200$124 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Danville, PA 17821 91%1,037$76,971$249,500$164 Very close on everything we compare
Mifflinburg, PA 17844 91%1,019$68,314$235,000$149 smaller
Wooster, OH 44691 91%801$69,920$230,300$182 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.