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 Polo, IL 61064

Polo: median income $75,386, home value $164,400, $79/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ravenna, NE 68869 92%486$65,208$169,400$79 smaller
Cambridge City, IN 47327 91%276$68,088$124,700$84 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Greene, IA 50636 90%175$70,066$154,700$86 smaller · more homeowners
Reinbeck, IA 50669 90%155$81,650$183,000$87 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Avoca, IA 51521 90%299$73,769$202,800$73 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller
Shullsburg, WI 53586 90%52$70,806$166,100$106 smaller
Winnebago, MN 56098 90%262$69,000$147,900$103 smaller
Meyersdale, PA 15552 89%572$65,551$143,000$76 larger
Republic, OH 44867 89%345$72,716$167,000$96 smaller · younger residents
Ackley, IA 50601 89%181$66,250$127,200$86 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Strawberry Point, IA 52076 89%110$72,857$150,700$95 smaller
Monona, IA 52159 89%116$74,259$165,400$110 smaller
North English, IA 52316 88%132$60,768$150,600$94 smaller
Fulda, MN 56131 88%330$73,063$180,100$99 smaller · more homeowners
New Bethlehem, PA 16242 87%534$55,677$134,700$79 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Remington, IN 47977 87%152$80,000$167,100$87 more homeowners
Manning, IA 51455 87%280$76,786$132,200$89 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Clarence, IA 52216 87%75$67,857$191,900$102 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Wayland, IA 52654 87%121$84,783$149,700$102 smaller · more homeowners
Creighton, NE 68729 87%425$63,292$152,300$71 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Mitchell, NE 69357 87%729$70,104$182,400$118 Very close on everything we compare
Dayton, IA 50530 86%229$73,250$167,900— smaller
Schleswig, IA 51461 86%300$73,768$183,100— smaller
Belle Plaine, IA 52208 86%137$74,127$120,700$91 cheaper homes ($44K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Dysart, IA 52224 86%140$69,805$177,000$90 smaller · more homeowners

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.