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 Lake Andes, SD 57356

Lake Andes: median income $54,107, home value $113,900, $126/sq ft, 15-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Clarendon, TX 79226 93%579$58,031$102,700$133 Very close on everything we compare
Princeton, ME 04668 92%1,528$48,720$117,700— Very close on everything we compare
Falls Creek, PA 15840 91%1,015$57,344$123,100$123 older residents
Bridgeport, NE 69336 91%254$53,051$111,100$172 Very close on everything we compare
Stinnett, TX 79083 90%528$48,611$105,400$117 Very close on everything we compare
Warren, MN 56762 89%364$62,933$160,100$102 pricier homes ($46K more)
Napoleon, ND 58561 89%240$61,688$100,300— smaller
Houston, MO 65483 89%529$46,663$126,200$143 larger
Carnegie, OK 73015 89%553$46,806$97,500$104 Very close on everything we compare
Seiling, OK 73663 89%484$61,103$166,800$143 pricier homes ($53K more) · smaller
Leland, MS 38756 88%788$45,625$113,400$102 larger
Newberry, MI 49868 88%674$55,074$94,500$113 larger · older residents
Afton, IA 50830 88%264$61,094$113,300$114 6 min longer commute
Morton, MN 56270 88%199$61,944$104,300$116 smaller
Albany, MO 64402 88%293$54,444$111,900— 6 min longer commute
Carrollton, MO 64633 88%368$58,726$128,400$125 larger
Ord, NE 68862 88%108$60,321$163,100— pricier homes ($49K more) · larger
Culbertson, NE 69024 88%235$52,337$106,900— smaller · older homes
Cyril, OK 73029 88%569$64,423$126,200$144 7 min longer commute
Center, CO 81125 88%546$56,250$148,700$137 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger
Elkton, MI 48731 87%768$53,021$115,500$106 older residents
Granite Falls, MN 56241 87%187$66,875$155,600$113 pricier homes ($42K more) · larger
Ladd, IL 61329 87%489$67,321$129,600$118 older homes
Greenup, IL 62428 87%601$53,333$97,900$105 older residents
Stanberry, MO 64489 87%286$54,519$167,900$85 pricier homes ($54K more)

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.