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 Bradford, IL 61421

Bradford: median income $65,833, home value $91,300, $208/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mclean, TX 79057 94%721$70,865$91,300— Very close on everything we compare
Caldwell, KS 67022 93%513$60,000$89,700$191 Very close on everything we compare
Chappell, NE 69129 92%666$67,105$107,000— older residents
Dillonvale, OH 43917 90%468$59,280$93,900$169 larger · older residents
Crawford, NE 69339 89%714$65,529$95,800— older residents
Norborne, MO 64668 88%247$73,889$119,900$174 pricier homes ($29K more)
Essex, IA 51638 87%295$59,107$120,700$162 pricier homes ($29K more) · older residents
Jasper, MN 56144 87%390$58,375$95,000$166 younger residents
Unionville, MI 48767 85%359$77,938$123,100— pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Albert City, IA 50510 85%296$76,397$110,700— 5 min shorter commute
Schaller, IA 51053 85%305$72,534$91,800$129 Very close on everything we compare
Bayard, NE 69334 85%707$62,232$126,100$133 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger
Coal City, IN 47427 84%191$74,920$122,600$141 pricier homes ($31K more)
Darlington, IN 47940 84%168$70,711$152,100$157 pricier homes ($61K more)
Hamburg, IA 51640 84%314$65,385$122,900$130 pricier homes ($32K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Morning Sun, IA 52640 84%84$67,813$125,800$155 pricier homes ($35K more)
Fairfax, MO 64446 84%305$56,949$101,800— 7 min shorter commute
Kewanna, IN 46939 83%169$69,000$140,700— pricier homes ($49K more) · larger
Eaton, IN 47338 83%232$68,239$111,100$151 larger · newer homes
Hollsopple, PA 15935 82%564$61,941$99,600$121 larger
Narrows, VA 24124 82%540$62,854$116,500$158 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger · younger residents
Oxford, IN 47971 82%133$64,375$152,600$149 pricier homes ($61K more)
Owendale, MI 48754 82%372$77,500$116,900$191 pricier homes ($26K more)
Keystone, IA 52249 82%145$75,417$163,200$215 pricier homes ($72K more)
Troy, KS 66087 82%304$56,875$127,300$133 pricier homes ($36K more) · 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.