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 North Sioux City, SD 57049

North Sioux City: median income $93,134, home value $432,100, $174/sq ft, 13-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bowling Green, KY 42103 86%660$87,689$331,400$182 cheaper homes ($101K less) · larger
Oneida, WI 54155 86%439$99,597$389,700$184 cheaper homes ($42K less) · 7 min longer commute
Kansas City, MO 64158 85%251$105,043$371,800$182 cheaper homes ($60K less) · 6 min longer commute
Grand Junction, CO 81505 84%674$90,830$467,800$294 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger
Jamestown, NC 27282 83%993$91,512$312,900$169 cheaper homes ($119K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Plover, WI 54467 83%373$87,580$268,600$168 cheaper homes ($164K less) · larger
Appleton, WI 54913 83%424$105,385$393,400$212 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Sartell, MN 56377 83%243$87,172$302,400$167 cheaper homes ($130K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Baxter, MN 56425 83%286$70,740$324,600$176 cheaper homes ($108K less) · 6 min longer commute
Tulsa, OK 74132 81%447$79,543$286,500$178 cheaper homes ($146K less) · 6 min longer commute
Lake Orion, MI 48359 80%672$93,125$350,100$186 cheaper homes ($82K less) · 9 min longer commute
Dubuque, IA 52002 80%294$91,036$298,900$173 cheaper homes ($133K less) · larger · more homeowners
Windsor, WI 53598 80%366$106,476$399,800$213 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Idaho Falls, ID 83406 80%783$86,991$392,200$177 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Spokane, WA 99224 80%1,082$80,770$461,000$247 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Flowood, MS 39232 79%787$82,931$365,000$187 cheaper homes ($67K less) · 8 min longer commute · more renters
Sergeant Bluff, IA 51054 79%12$119,716$301,900$155 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($130K less) · more homeowners
Bismarck, ND 58503 79%365$102,333$393,700$196 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Manhattan, KS 66503 79%227$97,846$339,100$153 cheaper homes ($93K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Maize, KS 67101 79%332$73,438$273,000$180 cheaper homes ($159K less)
Seward, AK 99664 79%2,497$87,760$384,600$271 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Fishersville, VA 22939 78%970$84,209$361,500$205 cheaper homes ($71K less) · 11 min longer commute
Pineville, NC 28134 78%984$85,681$383,800$230 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger · younger residents
Arden, NC 28704 78%893$81,096$390,000$273 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
La Vista, NE 68128 78%96$86,410$291,300$171 cheaper homes ($141K less) · larger · younger 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.