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 Centerville, SD 57014

Centerville: median income $77,000, home value $261,400, $139/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Thorntown, IN 46071 94%574$85,000$240,200$154 larger
Lanesboro, MN 55949 94%253$84,327$277,400$161 Very close on everything we compare
Ogden, IA 50212 93%168$81,838$221,300$150 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger
Chaumont, NY 13622 92%1,042$81,065$234,700$180 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Ladoga, IN 47954 92%570$81,364$188,200$140 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Winthrop, MN 55396 92%163$75,680$201,800$116 cheaper homes ($60K less)
New Richland, MN 56072 92%182$80,417$205,400$142 cheaper homes ($56K less)
West Alexander, PA 15376 91%874$86,607$218,900$121 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Barnesville, PA 18214 91%1,083$82,375$208,000$163 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger
Fowler, MI 48835 91%616$81,964$214,400$158 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger
Kenyon, MN 55946 91%212$85,781$261,300$178 larger
West Concord, MN 55985 91%216$83,636$245,200$141 Very close on everything we compare
Cherry Valley, NY 13320 90%1,121$86,204$184,600$126 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Woodville, OH 43469 90%704$86,410$205,500$161 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger
Jewell, IA 50130 90%177$78,594$169,000$125 cheaper homes ($92K less)
Roland, IA 50236 90%188$85,046$198,900$179 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Kingsley, IA 51028 90%61$78,000$219,600$202 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Argyle, WI 53504 90%361$83,690$220,700$188 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Elizabeth, IL 61028 90%348$86,053$174,400$118 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Interlaken, NY 14847 89%1,023$73,594$186,100$163 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Scenery Hill, PA 15360 89%896$85,341$246,300$140 newer homes
Pleasant Hill, OH 45359 89%685$77,083$208,700$140 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Blooming Prairie, MN 55917 89%203$75,208$207,000$180 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger
Grand Meadow, MN 55936 89%224$85,114$232,500$146 cheaper homes ($29K less) · newer homes
Rose Creek, MN 55970 89%210$85,000$211,900$161 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller

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.