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.

Reset

Towns most like Danville, IL 61834

Danville: median income $82,443, home value $157,300, $112/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Independence, IA 50644 94%270$80,026$186,600$123 pricier homes ($29K more)
Osage City, KS 66523 94%448$74,716$167,200$122 smaller
Denison, TX 75021 94%660$83,067$190,500$149 pricier homes ($33K more)
Homer City, PA 15748 93%453$70,474$153,600$125 Very close on everything we compare
Brownstown, IN 47220 93%124$69,242$166,900$106 Very close on everything we compare
Terre Haute, IN 47805 93%47$72,411$166,400$136 larger
New London, IA 52645 93%202$79,327$159,700$113 smaller
Petersburg, IN 47567 92%118$72,665$164,100$125 Very close on everything we compare
West Terre Haute, IN 47885 92%47$67,588$149,400$121 Very close on everything we compare
Bloomfield, IA 52537 92%252$74,432$162,100$151 Very close on everything we compare
Edgar, WI 54426 92%349$78,942$218,200$116 pricier homes ($61K more) · smaller
Fritch, TX 79036 92%819$90,170$132,300$116 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller
Mill Hall, PA 17751 91%538$75,072$215,100$143 pricier homes ($58K more)
Shreve, OH 44676 91%299$75,738$180,000$164 smaller
Anderson, IN 46017 91%109$75,011$152,800$154 smaller
Boonville, IN 47601 91%148$78,663$194,500$150 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger
Chandler, IN 47610 91%147$78,259$164,900$159 younger residents
Williamsport, IN 47993 91%18$72,455$158,400$127 smaller
Shepherd, MI 48883 91%284$65,223$160,300$132 Very close on everything we compare
Leslie, MI 49251 91%232$85,253$206,300$149 pricier homes ($49K more)
Albia, IA 52531 91%275$73,896$162,100$87 Very close on everything we compare
Durand, WI 54736 91%377$74,083$185,500$132 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Scott City, MO 63780 91%227$72,171$169,600$102 younger residents
Mulvane, KS 67110 91%547$85,391$188,000$141 pricier homes ($31K more)
Comanche, OK 73529 91%693$70,143$114,200$118 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller

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.