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 Ladd, IL 61329

Ladd: median income $67,321, home value $129,600, $118/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lenox, IA 50851 94%280$70,926$121,000— larger
Renville, MN 56284 94%382$72,500$162,500$116 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger
Wakefield, NE 68784 94%399$62,216$144,900$145 Very close on everything we compare
Salisbury, PA 15558 93%543$64,038$142,000$113 Very close on everything we compare
Alden, IA 50006 93%228$69,783$121,200$101 older residents
Clara City, MN 56222 93%396$71,429$156,600$96 pricier homes ($27K more)
Wisner, NE 68791 93%399$69,018$165,300$137 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger
Manly, IA 50456 92%242$81,339$124,700$119 Very close on everything we compare
Medicine Lodge, KS 67104 92%575$66,125$115,600$91 larger
Ashley, IN 46705 91%216$67,266$159,700$131 pricier homes ($30K more) · newer homes
Mountain Lake, MN 56159 91%339$71,648$161,800$96 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Warren, MN 56762 91%602$62,933$160,100$102 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · newer homes
Harvard, NE 68944 91%465$69,432$125,800— 6 min longer commute
Falls Creek, PA 15840 90%540$57,344$123,100$123 older residents
Onawa, IA 51040 90%358$71,179$151,600$150 larger
Lamberton, MN 56152 90%365$75,536$129,900$90 Very close on everything we compare
Menno, SD 57045 90%445$76,042$117,900$108 Very close on everything we compare
Ellendale, ND 58436 90%563$69,286$164,100$110 pricier homes ($35K more)
Buhler, KS 67522 90%506$72,622$146,300$109 larger
Quinter, KS 67752 90%603$74,861$133,100$76 Very close on everything we compare
Gordon, NE 69343 90%672$59,741$116,700— larger
Greenfield, IA 50849 89%271$64,821$148,600$143 larger · older residents
Alta, IA 51002 89%325$70,625$167,100$118 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger
Woodbine, IA 51579 89%336$72,500$204,400$121 pricier homes ($75K more) · larger
Truman, MN 56088 89%314$71,354$153,300$77 larger

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.