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 Wagner, SD 57380

Wagner: median income $62,135, home value $157,600, $144/sq ft, 14-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Farwell, TX 79325 92%652$71,771$163,400— Very close on everything we compare
Valentine, NE 69201 91%120$62,101$161,300$106 older residents
Holbrook, AZ 86025 91%850$56,919$163,800$147 larger
Wolf Point, MT 59201 90%497$53,311$127,100— cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Dover Foxcroft, ME 04426 88%1,441$63,491$164,800$162 larger · older residents
Hardin, MT 59034 88%495$60,726$169,800$140 larger · older residents
Carrollton, MO 64633 88%357$58,726$128,400$125 cheaper homes ($29K less)
David City, NE 68632 87%139$70,242$176,400$143 6 min longer commute
Wisner, NE 68791 87%102$69,018$165,300$137 smaller · older homes
American Falls, ID 83211 87%742$65,483$209,200$168 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger
Newbern, TN 38059 86%680$62,281$150,300$147 larger · 5 min longer commute
Fort Branch, IN 47648 86%653$65,000$213,000$168 pricier homes ($55K more) · more homeowners
Abbotsford, WI 54405 86%417$69,659$177,900$112 older residents
Colby, WI 54421 86%416$60,820$194,500$114 pricier homes ($37K more)
Arcadia, WI 54612 86%349$77,647$196,400$156 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger
Fairbury, IL 61739 86%527$76,555$164,400$112 Very close on everything we compare
Mount Sterling, IL 62353 86%445$66,000$152,100$128 larger · older residents
Broken Bow, NE 68822 86%135$67,500$154,600— older residents
Wichita Falls, TX 76302 86%637$59,590$165,800$133 larger
Baraga, MI 49908 85%539$63,281$130,300$126 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Alta, IA 51002 85%153$70,625$167,100$118 more homeowners
Sheldon, IA 51201 85%123$68,799$197,800$118 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger · older residents
Marshall, MO 65340 85%377$58,118$156,100$129 larger
Burlington, KS 66839 85%360$63,077$175,500$119 older residents
Bay, AR 72411 85%653$55,625$111,400$134 cheaper homes ($46K less)

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.