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 East Grand Forks, MN 56721

East Grand Forks: median income $82,525, home value $259,300, $235/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Yakima, WA 98903 92%1,113$75,343$287,400$269 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger
Absecon, NJ 08201 90%1,263$71,321$287,000$226 pricier homes ($28K more)
Little Chute, WI 54140 90%487$82,472$227,000$168 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Annville, PA 17003 89%1,138$92,209$250,300$196 Very close on everything we compare
Windsor Locks, CT 06096 88%1,256$81,205$258,800$226 older homes
Hampton, VA 23664 87%1,289$87,412$285,600$216 pricier homes ($26K more) · 6 min longer commute
Rossford, OH 43460 87%790$73,882$174,000$186 cheaper homes ($85K less) · smaller
Janesville, WI 53546 87%533$75,825$239,400$192 larger
Farmington, NM 87402 87%956$79,461$284,200$201 newer homes
Klamath Falls, OR 97603 87%1,263$66,937$282,800$205 larger
Madras, OR 97741 87%1,169$70,983$334,800$247 pricier homes ($76K more) · 5 min longer commute
Pendleton, OR 97801 87%1,038$71,639$293,000$197 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger
South Glens Falls, NY 12803 86%1,170$82,057$231,300$229 cheaper homes ($28K less) · more renters
Chesapeake, VA 23325 86%1,303$69,909$272,000$235 larger · more renters
Portsmouth, VA 23703 86%1,294$78,707$295,900$200 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Vandalia, OH 45377 86%844$77,398$202,800$164 cheaper homes ($57K less) · older residents
Shawnee, KS 66203 86%625$75,869$254,900$222 larger · 5 min longer commute
Casper, WY 82601 86%571$67,642$249,100$174 larger
Casper, WY 82609 86%570$71,010$293,900$169 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger
Douglas, WY 82633 86%540$82,412$296,700$168 pricier homes ($37K more) · less walkable
Evanston, WY 82930 86%824$81,042$292,800$164 pricier homes ($34K more) · less walkable
Ephrata, WA 98823 86%1,046$73,074$267,300$223 less walkable
Spokane, WA 99212 86%939$67,049$361,500$211 pricier homes ($102K more) · larger
Saint Albans, VT 05478 85%1,156$71,203$316,400$224 pricier homes ($57K more) · 7 min longer commute
Plainville, CT 06062 85%1,254$84,310$253,900$247 larger · 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.