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 Spearfish, SD 57783

Spearfish: median income $74,844, home value $373,300, $233/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Arden, NC 28704 92%1,285$81,096$390,000$273 Very close on everything we compare
Spokane, WA 99224 91%690$80,770$461,000$247 pricier homes ($88K more)
Knoxville, TN 37923 90%1,195$73,699$333,000$213 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger
Southern Pines, NC 28387 89%1,442$74,830$410,800$226 pricier homes ($38K more) · 6 min longer commute
Chattanooga, TN 37421 89%1,186$82,517$333,700$197 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger
Comstock Park, MI 49321 89%911$77,870$274,400$203 cheaper homes ($99K less)
Baxter, MN 56425 88%482$70,740$324,600$176 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller
Saint George, UT 84770 88%720$70,024$458,300$269 pricier homes ($85K more) · larger
Redding, CA 96003 88%976$72,445$402,900$254 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger
Wilmington, NC 28412 87%1,551$71,636$371,900$240 larger
Bowling Green, KY 42103 87%1,049$87,689$331,400$182 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Grand Rapids, MI 49544 87%909$74,390$264,000$218 cheaper homes ($109K less) · smaller
Des Moines, IA 50321 87%554$80,351$320,500$212 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller
Davenport, IA 52807 87%702$72,579$348,200$180 cheaper homes ($25K less)
Tyler, TX 75703 87%962$79,194$336,300$179 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Abilene, TX 79606 87%865$79,196$272,600$192 cheaper homes ($101K less) · larger · younger residents
White River Junction, VT 05001 86%1,554$78,092$296,900$271 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller
Christiansburg, VA 24073 86%1,321$76,800$253,200$190 cheaper homes ($120K less) · larger
Morehead City, NC 28557 86%1,583$68,528$362,800$249 older residents
Pensacola, FL 32507 86%1,328$73,540$318,200$242 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Cincinnati, OH 45245 86%1,073$80,147$285,900$182 cheaper homes ($87K less) · 7 min longer commute
Port Washington, WI 53074 86%798$79,423$296,600$233 cheaper homes ($77K less) · older homes
Plover, WI 54467 86%705$87,580$268,600$168 cheaper homes ($105K less)
Onalaska, WI 54650 86%627$85,548$291,600$189 cheaper homes ($82K less)
Bryan, TX 77802 86%1,040$70,666$254,500$170 cheaper homes ($119K 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.