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 Bismarck, ND 58503

Bismarck: median income $102,333, home value $393,700, $196/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Appleton, WI 54913 95%621$105,385$393,400$212 Very close on everything we compare
Ankeny, IA 50021 93%502$99,572$317,200$229 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Sun Prairie, WI 53590 92%618$97,051$379,500$224 Very close on everything we compare
Mechanicsburg, PA 17050 91%1,269$113,720$372,900$192 Very close on everything we compare
Chaska, MN 55318 91%373$112,243$420,400$211 pricier homes ($27K more)
Glen Allen, VA 23060 90%1,340$104,468$409,900$224 Very close on everything we compare
Greer, SC 29650 90%1,266$94,522$342,500$192 cheaper homes ($51K less) · more single-family homes
De Pere, WI 54115 90%635$94,721$339,500$213 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Williamsburg, VA 23185 89%1,392$105,431$429,500$220 pricier homes ($36K more) · 5 min longer commute · older homes
Perrysburg, OH 43551 89%924$95,846$311,100$198 cheaper homes ($83K less) · older homes
Sioux Falls, SD 57108 89%306$98,197$413,600$195 more renters
Amarillo, TX 79119 89%816$114,432$366,000$191 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Suffolk, VA 23435 88%1,421$111,700$394,500$215 8 min longer commute
Morgantown, WV 26508 88%1,159$90,041$311,500$174 cheaper homes ($82K less) · 5 min longer commute
Jacksonville, FL 32258 88%1,544$102,204$370,700$197 6 min longer commute · more renters
Knoxville, TN 37931 88%1,139$92,150$359,600$208 cheaper homes ($34K less) · more single-family homes
Waukee, IA 50263 88%499$102,762$352,800$241 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Shakopee, MN 55379 88%378$106,312$379,700$201 more walkable
Sioux Falls, SD 57110 88%304$88,955$396,100$206 smaller
Saint Charles, MO 63303 88%761$99,138$321,100$163 cheaper homes ($73K less) · older homes
Melbourne, FL 32904 87%1,692$90,673$366,300$208 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Louisville, KY 40241 87%970$94,078$373,900$172 Very close on everything we compare
Pewaukee, WI 53072 87%664$98,538$437,800$252 pricier homes ($44K more) · older residents · older homes
Franklin, WI 53132 87%681$109,850$367,500$223 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 5 min longer commute · older homes
Midlothian, VA 23114 86%1,343$112,738$409,100$220 smaller · 7 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.