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 Marion, SD 57043

Marion: median income $64,375, home value $221,500, $81/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pine Level, NC 27568 96%1,149$66,071$230,800— Very close on everything we compare
Akron, CO 80720 95%379$65,913$219,100$96 Very close on everything we compare
Rockwell, IA 50469 94%206$71,250$211,700$97 Very close on everything we compare
Fredericksburg, IA 50630 93%258$71,518$198,900$73 Very close on everything we compare
Lake Benton, MN 56149 93%77$65,556$169,200$94 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Slayton, MN 56172 93%86$71,875$187,300$96 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger
Canby, MN 56220 93%103$61,414$174,500$80 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger
Wabasso, MN 56293 93%121$67,396$170,500$103 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Minatare, NE 69356 93%334$73,787$189,500$75 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Haxtun, CO 80731 93%334$74,375$235,300$83 Very close on everything we compare
Ruthven, IA 51358 92%122$64,583$150,500$74 cheaper homes ($71K less)
Eddyville, IA 52553 92%285$64,583$150,000— cheaper homes ($72K less)
Tilden, NE 68781 92%99$67,212$171,700— cheaper homes ($50K less)
Marcus, IA 51035 91%85$79,338$209,700$109 Very close on everything we compare
Fulda, MN 56131 91%90$73,063$180,100$99 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Lakota, ND 58344 91%319$66,957$159,000$91 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Moundridge, KS 67107 91%360$71,563$204,900$84 larger
Manassa, CO 81141 91%627$59,539$202,500— Very close on everything we compare
Fredonia, PA 16124 90%879$55,455$171,500— cheaper homes ($50K less)
Reese, MI 48757 90%680$73,832$171,400$86 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger
George, IA 51237 90%65$61,667$159,500$89 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Sanborn, IA 51248 90%83$64,375$172,800$108 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Harmony, MN 55939 90%264$70,855$198,800$120 Very close on everything we compare
Raymond, MN 56282 90%150$69,896$201,400$110 Very close on everything we compare
Onaga, KS 66521 90%278$61,250$193,000$75 cheaper homes ($29K less) · more renters

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.