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 Rapid City, SD 57701

Rapid City: median income $56,461, home value $251,200, $211/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Billings, MT 59101 97%282$58,598$268,700$214 Very close on everything we compare
Great Falls, MT 59405 97%451$59,449$250,100$194 Very close on everything we compare
Green Bay, WI 54304 95%749$63,865$220,600$192 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Las Cruces, NM 88005 94%840$54,452$220,800$168 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
Waterville, ME 04901 93%1,648$57,403$204,700$181 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller
Greenwood, SC 29649 92%1,313$54,585$235,100$168 smaller
Sierra Vista, AZ 85635 92%951$61,580$228,000$175 Very close on everything we compare
Augusta, ME 04330 91%1,644$54,775$217,300$211 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller
Johnson City, TN 37601 91%1,221$50,686$216,200$185 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Knoxville, TN 37921 91%1,157$60,013$226,300$220 smaller
Eau Claire, WI 54703 91%578$71,518$243,700$178 Very close on everything we compare
Bangor, ME 04401 90%1,684$66,932$239,900$198 Very close on everything we compare
Plattsburgh, NY 12901 90%1,460$60,942$189,400$166 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Vero Beach, FL 32960 90%1,701$54,682$280,000$211 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller · older residents
Riverton, WY 82501 90%261$60,449$237,800$164 smaller
Pocatello, ID 83204 90%471$57,146$263,500$168 smaller
Farmington, NM 87401 90%574$61,886$215,300$183 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Roseburg, OR 97470 90%1,000$54,751$260,400$224 smaller
Bloomsburg, PA 17815 89%1,373$67,510$222,900$160 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Harrisonburg, VA 22802 89%1,319$66,423$280,700$196 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller
Greensboro, NC 27406 89%1,353$59,563$204,400$164 cheaper homes ($47K less) · 5 min longer commute
Johnson City, TN 37604 89%1,220$52,345$259,600$196 Very close on everything we compare
Findlay, OH 45840 89%1,015$68,083$213,000$165 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Lafayette, IN 47905 89%873$65,861$235,600$176 Very close on everything we compare
Fond Du Lac, WI 54935 89%734$63,144$180,200$169 cheaper homes ($71K 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.