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 Granite City, IL 62040

Granite City: median income $60,031, home value $112,000, $106/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Kokomo, IN 46901 96%244$60,495$142,100$123 pricier homes ($30K more)
Logansport, IN 46947 96%244$54,791$126,800$113 Very close on everything we compare
New Castle, IN 47362 96%267$60,258$146,800$113 pricier homes ($35K more)
Fostoria, OH 44830 95%393$62,990$121,700$115 smaller
Peru, IN 46970 95%256$57,842$118,700$88 smaller
Ironton, OH 45638 94%402$52,728$119,000$121 smaller
Saint Albans, WV 25177 93%448$55,046$139,900$116 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Connersville, IN 47331 93%273$58,967$132,400$113 smaller
Ottumwa, IA 52501 93%201$63,426$122,700$121 Very close on everything we compare
Girard, OH 44420 92%526$61,707$121,100$122 smaller
Bucyrus, OH 44820 92%406$58,223$141,400$132 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller
Huntington, IN 46750 92%286$63,978$158,100$130 pricier homes ($46K more)
Duncan, OK 73533 92%523$59,906$144,500$103 pricier homes ($33K more) · newer homes
New Castle, PA 16101 91%542$51,128$110,600$110 Very close on everything we compare
Fremont, OH 43420 91%412$61,331$152,900$137 pricier homes ($41K more)
Portland, IN 47371 91%297$64,000$123,000$111 smaller
Borger, TX 79007 91%656$63,929$112,900$99 smaller
Pampa, TX 79065 91%636$58,912$110,000$97 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Snyder, TX 79549 91%733$59,147$112,000$122 smaller
Moundsville, WV 26041 90%508$54,419$144,700$109 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller
Owosso, MI 48867 90%428$59,825$154,400$143 pricier homes ($42K more)
Parkersburg, WV 26101 89%462$48,710$117,500$105 Very close on everything we compare
Warren, OH 44483 89%522$49,017$108,800$119 smaller
Piqua, OH 45356 89%328$69,188$156,400$134 pricier homes ($44K more) · smaller
South Bend, IN 46619 89%285$48,081$105,400$123 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.