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 Dunlap, IL 61525

Dunlap: median income $161,165, home value $320,100, $148/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Shawnee, KS 66226 91%296$173,667$416,200$188 pricier homes ($96K more)
Fort Wayne, IN 46814 90%227$147,280$399,300$167 pricier homes ($79K more)
Omaha, NE 68118 85%341$133,281$390,700$158 lower income ($28K less) · pricier homes ($71K more) · older residents
Gretna, NE 68028 84%345$143,604$407,400$177 pricier homes ($87K more)
Omaha, NE 68135 84%341$143,676$350,200$171 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger
Wichita, KS 67230 83%457$149,536$405,800$149 pricier homes ($86K more) · older residents
Lake Orion, MI 48360 82%353$140,865$387,500$181 pricier homes ($67K more) · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Bennington, NE 68007 82%341$141,042$391,100$176 pricier homes ($71K more) · larger
Papillion, NE 68133 82%333$134,426$388,300$170 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($68K more)
Urbandale, IA 50323 81%221$175,944$486,800$244 pricier homes ($167K more)
Shawnee, KS 66218 81%296$168,878$436,600$207 pricier homes ($117K more) · 6 min longer commute
Wichita, KS 67228 80%455$162,857$418,000$150 pricier homes ($98K more) · smaller
Madison, AL 35756 79%455$129,852$377,400$172 lower income ($31K less) · pricier homes ($57K more) · larger
Lenexa, KS 66227 79%300$139,883$478,200$231 pricier homes ($158K more)
Kansas City, MO 64157 78%277$149,526$386,400$198 pricier homes ($66K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Omaha, NE 68136 78%343$133,472$373,600$177 lower income ($28K less) · pricier homes ($54K more) · larger
Avondale, PA 19311 77%733$155,771$540,800$197 pricier homes ($221K more) · 7 min longer commute
Elkhorn, NE 68022 77%345$148,111$462,800$195 pricier homes ($143K more) · larger · more renters
Omaha, NE 68130 77%341$133,570$396,700$163 lower income ($28K less) · pricier homes ($77K more) · larger
Little Rock, AR 72212 77%445$114,140$338,300$151 lower income ($47K less) · older homes
Avon, OH 44011 76%398$135,915$395,900$219 lower income ($25K less) · pricier homes ($76K more) · larger
Springboro, OH 45066 76%299$131,250$393,500$181 lower income ($30K less) · pricier homes ($73K more) · larger
Carmel, IN 46033 76%197$153,143$487,100$185 pricier homes ($167K more) · larger · older residents
Bondurant, IA 50035 76%207$134,906$323,000$234 lower income ($26K less)
Rogers, MN 55374 76%359$144,714$462,000$193 pricier homes ($142K more) · 7 min longer 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.