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 Olney, IL 62450

Olney: median income $62,096, home value $116,500, $97/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pascagoula, MS 39567 95%579$62,254$139,500$93 Very close on everything we compare
Chillicothe, MO 64601 95%302$63,061$153,900$108 pricier homes ($37K more)
Iola, KS 66749 95%401$60,093$107,000$96 smaller
Flatwoods, KY 41139 94%290$59,034$112,700$110 smaller
Girard, OH 44420 93%426$61,707$121,100$122 older homes
Tell City, IN 47586 93%90$60,587$159,000$98 pricier homes ($43K more)
Hannibal, MO 63401 93%189$60,036$152,100$116 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger
Kennett, MO 63857 93%203$55,188$115,100$95 Very close on everything we compare
Perry, OK 73077 93%532$62,763$132,700$111 smaller
Clinton, OK 73601 93%640$59,630$129,300$93 younger residents
Clearfield, PA 16830 92%535$58,304$130,300$110 Very close on everything we compare
Ashland, KY 41102 92%290$67,879$153,800$110 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger
Chesapeake, OH 45619 92%305$58,453$145,300$111 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller
Charles City, IA 50616 92%384$64,830$140,600$99 Very close on everything we compare
Red Oak, IA 51566 92%410$56,637$134,200$109 smaller
Mount Pleasant, IA 52641 92%240$64,512$171,400$112 pricier homes ($55K more)
Dexter, MO 63841 92%169$58,607$163,400$118 pricier homes ($47K more)
El Dorado, KS 67042 92%480$62,857$141,300$119 Very close on everything we compare
Winfield, KS 67156 92%495$58,821$153,300$90 pricier homes ($37K more)
El Dorado, AR 71730 92%460$55,770$130,300$100 larger
Borger, TX 79007 92%762$63,929$112,900$99 Very close on everything we compare
Chariton, IA 50049 91%319$61,190$124,900$107 smaller
Creston, IA 50801 91%369$58,015$124,900$106 Very close on everything we compare
Sikeston, MO 63801 91%151$62,698$156,700$121 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
Nevada, MO 64772 91%346$51,872$158,100$115 pricier homes ($42K more)

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.