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 Garden Prairie, IL 61038

Garden Prairie: median income $104,875, home value $281,600, $91/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Letts, IA 52754 89%143$104,250$194,300$131 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Brownton, MN 55312 88%328$100,568$236,300$137 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Delmar, IA 52037 87%97$90,813$198,400$91 cheaper homes ($83K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Van Horne, IA 52346 85%173$113,342$247,100$114 cheaper homes ($35K less) · younger residents
Corunna, IN 46730 84%194$116,181$316,500— pricier homes ($35K more) · 7 min longer commute · newer homes
Milton, IN 47357 84%254$99,028$155,800$92 cheaper homes ($126K less)
Rothsay, MN 56579 84%474$89,583$235,500$119 cheaper homes ($46K less) · newer homes
West Concord, MN 55985 83%246$83,636$245,200$141 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Scenery Hill, PA 15360 82%475$85,341$246,300$140 cheaper homes ($35K less)
West Alexander, PA 15376 82%453$86,607$218,900$121 cheaper homes ($63K less) · more renters
Hookstown, PA 15050 81%446$91,406$209,800$134 cheaper homes ($72K less) · larger · older residents
Fredericktown, PA 15333 81%481$89,333$185,600$112 cheaper homes ($96K less)
Milford Center, OH 43045 81%311$99,181$275,000$176 younger residents
Coggon, IA 52218 81%143$82,344$180,700$121 cheaper homes ($101K less)
Mount Hope, KS 67108 81%560$87,679$160,500$116 cheaper homes ($121K less)
Kenesaw, NE 68956 81%525$94,231$203,700$123 cheaper homes ($78K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Sprakers, NY 12166 80%728$94,821$219,400$142 cheaper homes ($62K less) · younger residents
Durhamville, NY 13054 80%666$94,100$227,500$96 cheaper homes ($54K less) · 10 min shorter commute
West Mansfield, OH 43358 80%299$89,121$218,600$133 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger
Wanatah, IN 46390 80%113$87,639$228,000$130 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · newer homes
Tipton, MI 49287 80%240$88,068$263,300$158 larger · older residents
Adams, MN 55909 80%221$96,736$213,200$122 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Wilton, ND 58579 80%681$93,750$281,500$127 newer homes
Wyoming, NY 14591 79%544$85,804$163,500$96 cheaper homes ($118K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Dornsife, PA 17823 79%628$78,864$232,100— lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($50K less) · newer homes

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.