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 Wonder Lake, IL 60097

Wonder Lake: median income $93,397, home value $229,700, $204/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Genoa City, WI 53128 93%10$82,216$244,400$240 Very close on everything we compare
Lawson, MO 64062 92%367$92,277$274,400$163 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller
Delta, PA 17314 91%651$96,047$269,300$187 pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller
Barnhart, MO 63012 91%300$96,099$250,800$166 Very close on everything we compare
Clear Spring, MD 21722 90%576$88,232$312,500$195 pricier homes ($83K more) · smaller
Kouts, IN 46347 90%101$95,348$255,400$173 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller
Black Creek, WI 54106 90%144$97,500$277,800$199 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller
Mount Sterling, OH 43143 89%322$100,333$242,800$179 smaller
Wolcottville, IN 46795 89%166$87,175$260,000$244 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller · older residents
Foley, MN 56329 89%358$92,738$282,000$176 pricier homes ($52K more) · smaller
Bremen, OH 43107 88%361$78,482$241,600$208 smaller
Millerstown, PA 17062 87%594$90,893$233,000$209 smaller
Goshen, OH 45122 87%311$83,342$222,100$214 older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Clayton, IN 46118 87%211$78,298$276,900$166 pricier homes ($47K more) · smaller
New Carlisle, IN 46552 87%107$91,341$237,900$168 smaller
Browns Mills, NJ 08015 86%736$80,889$230,900$241 larger · older residents
Preston, MD 21655 86%699$90,385$289,200$221 pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller · older residents
Catawba, NC 28609 86%607$77,679$245,900$190 smaller
Utica, OH 43080 86%342$87,301$232,300$172 smaller
De Graff, OH 43318 86%271$91,520$215,900$143 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Richwood, OH 43344 86%294$80,909$237,900$184 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Grafton, OH 44044 86%334$88,333$257,500$181 pricier homes ($28K more) · older residents
Arcanum, OH 45304 86%259$78,125$190,200$156 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller
Fowlerville, MI 48836 86%219$90,592$276,800$187 pricier homes ($47K more) · newer homes
Newmanstown, PA 17073 85%644$91,452$272,200$214 pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes

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.