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 Wishek, ND 58495

Wishek: median income $73,661, home value $106,900, $165/sq ft, 10-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Leoti, KS 67861 92%539$78,920$95,800$168 larger
Hemingford, NE 69348 92%317$76,719$133,600— pricier homes ($27K more)
Woonsocket, SD 57385 88%162$70,404$126,900$152 7 min longer commute
Smith Center, KS 66967 87%443$56,726$100,400— larger
Osborne, KS 67473 87%470$64,531$88,000— larger
Atwood, KS 67730 87%448$66,250$120,100— more renters
Hebron, NE 68370 85%428$67,000$125,300$169 larger
Imperial, NE 69033 85%405$67,135$171,300— pricier homes ($64K more) · larger
Sidney, IA 51652 84%425$82,200$134,800$165 pricier homes ($28K more) · 9 min longer commute
Heron Lake, MN 56137 84%267$71,250$123,900$141 7 min longer commute · older homes
Kimball, SD 57355 84%172$63,125$144,200— pricier homes ($37K more) · 6 min longer commute
Ness City, KS 67560 84%536$68,654$121,700$93 Very close on everything we compare
Baileyville, ME 04694 83%1,544$65,417$130,000$133 larger · older residents
La Grange, MO 63448 83%589$61,417$117,800$137 larger · 7 min longer commute
Wakeeney, KS 67672 83%495$83,917$118,500$105 larger
Tribune, KS 67879 83%543$80,536$114,800— younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Ainsworth, NE 69210 83%253$56,625$123,300— larger
Lenox, IA 50851 82%445$70,926$121,000— larger · 7 min longer commute
Unionville, MO 63565 82%516$69,643$127,800$144 larger · 7 min longer commute
Hiawatha, KS 66434 82%486$76,613$143,400$126 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger
Ellsworth, KS 67439 82%520$73,409$158,300— pricier homes ($51K more) · larger
Meade, KS 67864 82%617$75,929$135,700— pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Osmond, NE 68765 82%284$70,694$159,900$137 pricier homes ($53K more) · 9 min longer commute
Alma, NE 68920 82%420$80,938$166,700— pricier homes ($60K more) · 5 min longer commute
Cambridge, NE 69022 82%409$64,719$152,400— pricier homes ($46K more) · 6 min longer commute

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.