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 Platte, SD 57369

Platte: median income $78,100, home value $237,400, 12-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hull, IA 51239 95%142$77,540$236,500$161 Very close on everything we compare
Rock Rapids, IA 51246 94%139$72,400$247,900$116 larger
Hoxie, KS 67740 94%294$75,417$186,600— cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller
Atkinson, NE 68713 93%61$77,500$195,000— cheaper homes ($42K less)
Milford, UT 84751 92%812$81,908$247,100$182 older homes
Fillmore, UT 84631 91%759$67,115$301,000$161 pricier homes ($64K more)
Coldwater, OH 45828 90%761$72,703$252,100$132 larger
Seneca, KS 66538 90%289$78,981$299,300$111 pricier homes ($62K more) · older residents
Burlington, CO 80807 90%332$76,583$251,900$123 larger
Smithville, OH 44677 89%891$75,435$230,600$247 older residents
Washburn, ND 58577 89%287$74,471$260,100$145 7 min longer commute
Chinook, MT 59523 89%607$73,906$218,300— older homes
Delta, UT 84624 89%756$75,469$287,700$161 pricier homes ($50K more) · larger
Hines, OR 97738 89%1,007$89,071$294,200— pricier homes ($57K more)
Botkins, OH 45306 88%785$86,354$255,600$157 8 min longer commute
Hawarden, IA 51023 88%128$80,357$173,300$99 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Mountain Lake, MN 56159 88%204$71,648$161,800$96 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Oakes, ND 58474 88%189$72,969$160,700$342 cheaper homes ($77K less)
New Hampton, IA 50659 87%335$78,153$206,900$122 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger · older residents
Alta, IA 51002 87%191$70,625$167,100$118 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Windom, MN 56101 87%193$77,083$183,700$117 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger
Hancock, MN 56244 87%211$85,417$162,100$112 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Minneota, MN 56264 87%167$81,071$189,600$81 cheaper homes ($48K less) · 8 min longer commute
Northwood, ND 58267 87%306$88,015$217,800$161 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Carrington, ND 58421 87%279$89,097$171,200$101 cheaper homes ($66K less) · older 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.