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 Cambridge, IL 61238

Cambridge: median income $64,583, home value $131,100, $106/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bloomville, OH 44818 97%374$63,922$141,300$116 Very close on everything we compare
Hollsopple, PA 15935 93%592$61,941$99,600$121 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Mount Savage, MD 21545 93%604$60,264$130,700$111 smaller
Waldron, MI 49288 92%298$66,833$147,500$129 smaller
Bayard, NE 69334 92%679$62,232$126,100$133 newer homes
Veedersburg, IN 47987 91%174$63,333$145,200$113 newer homes
Morenci, MI 49256 91%310$62,880$129,400$98 newer homes
New Washington, OH 44854 90%382$70,357$146,200$134 smaller
Camden, IN 46917 90%197$61,643$143,900$132 5 min longer commute
Oxford, IN 47971 90%162$64,375$152,600$149 smaller
Rockford, IA 50468 90%186$73,403$173,700— pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller
Gibbon, MN 55335 90%315$62,206$149,300$98 smaller · newer homes
De Kalb Junction, NY 13630 89%784$63,333$92,700$82 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller
Collins, NY 14034 89%586$62,412$151,200$134 newer homes
Ohio City, OH 45874 89%289$68,521$135,100$117 newer homes
Royal Center, IN 46978 89%194$78,750$130,000$119 5 min longer commute
Hagerstown, IN 47346 89%280$70,000$144,300$114 larger · newer homes
Hamburg, IA 51640 89%288$65,385$122,900$130 smaller
Canton, KS 67428 89%434$75,815$147,600$115 smaller
Dunkirk, OH 45836 88%343$56,250$119,700$117 smaller · younger residents
Summitville, IN 46070 88%247$57,667$117,300$78 5 min shorter commute
Schaller, IA 51053 88%275$72,534$91,800$129 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Lime Springs, IA 52155 88%183$57,917$116,500$103 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Dysart, IA 52224 88%125$69,805$177,000$90 pricier homes ($46K more) · newer homes
Newman Grove, NE 68758 88%394$56,667$132,500$101 smaller · 6 min shorter 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.