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 Huron, SD 57350

Huron: median income $66,573, home value $173,000, $101/sq ft, 12-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hastings, NE 68901 97%261$66,585$190,100$109 larger
Ashland, WI 54806 95%393$64,864$185,800$112 Very close on everything we compare
Mount Pleasant, IA 52641 94%411$64,512$171,400$112 Very close on everything we compare
York, NE 68467 94%243$70,525$194,600$104 smaller
Atlantic, IA 50022 92%261$63,125$157,600$104 smaller
Storm Lake, IA 50588 92%192$70,906$184,900$122 younger residents
Jacksonville, IL 62650 92%519$65,762$141,300$90 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger
Vincennes, IN 47591 91%678$61,803$157,400$106 larger · 5 min longer commute
Waterloo, IA 50701 91%321$61,475$183,800$128 larger
Spencer, IA 51301 91%175$63,402$188,300$122 Very close on everything we compare
Miles City, MT 59301 91%396$71,332$217,900— pricier homes ($45K more) · older residents
Hannibal, MO 63401 91%475$60,036$152,100$116 Very close on everything we compare
Great Bend, KS 67530 91%413$58,780$137,600$99 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Tiffin, OH 44883 90%794$62,692$163,600$139 larger · 5 min longer commute
Lima, OH 45805 90%757$68,842$160,600$141 larger
Forest City, IA 50436 90%240$74,940$167,900$96 smaller
Waterloo, IA 50702 90%322$62,021$150,500$123 Very close on everything we compare
Creston, IA 50801 90%301$58,015$124,900$106 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller
Cherokee, IA 51012 90%174$69,531$151,400$83 smaller
Sheldon, IA 51201 90%144$68,799$197,800$118 smaller
Denison, IA 51442 90%216$66,767$159,400$95 smaller · newer homes
Sault Sainte Marie, MI 49783 89%690$60,658$158,800$156 Very close on everything we compare
New Ulm, MN 56073 89%185$70,250$218,700$140 pricier homes ($46K more)
Marshall, MO 65340 89%441$58,118$156,100$129 Very close on everything we compare
Beatrice, NE 68310 89%292$60,928$168,000$118 older residents · 5 min longer commute

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.