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 Palestine, IL 62451

Palestine: median income $63,665, home value $89,600, $30/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sheffield, PA 16347 94%488$58,125$79,100$39 Very close on everything we compare
Blue Rapids, KS 66411 93%484$57,361$85,900— smaller
Fairfax, MO 64446 92%423$56,949$101,800— smaller
Johnsonburg, PA 15845 91%501$68,347$79,200— larger
Helena, OK 73741 91%606$62,083$110,800— Very close on everything we compare
Lake City, IA 51449 90%437$75,329$115,800— pricier homes ($26K more)
Elkhart, KS 67950 89%789$65,625$103,200$25 6 min shorter commute
Hay Springs, NE 69347 89%825$76,133$116,300— pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Sedan, KS 67361 87%483$53,917$64,400— cheaper homes ($25K less)
Emerson, NE 68733 87%528$64,479$132,600— pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller
Mclean, TX 79057 87%761$70,865$91,300— smaller · 7 min longer commute
Ridgway, PA 15853 86%496$59,344$109,400— larger
Rotan, TX 79546 86%834$58,984$65,000$40 younger residents
Springer, NM 87747 86%944$55,948$119,500$27 pricier homes ($30K more)
Weedville, PA 15868 85%506$70,395$112,200— 5 min longer commute · newer homes
Bay Port, MI 48720 85%400$60,250$139,100— pricier homes ($50K more) · smaller
Lenox, IA 50851 85%390$70,926$121,000— pricier homes ($31K more) · younger residents
Keewatin, MN 55753 85%642$53,643$86,800$25 smaller · younger residents
Osborne, KS 67473 85%594$64,531$88,000— 8 min shorter commute
Kewanna, IN 46939 84%153$69,000$140,700— pricier homes ($51K more)
Unionville, MI 48767 84%386$77,938$123,100— pricier homes ($34K more)
Crowell, TX 79227 84%754$62,188$69,700$41 smaller · older residents
Eldred, PA 16731 83%526$61,991$107,500$42 older residents · 6 min longer commute
Alum Creek, WV 25003 83%317$64,631$114,900— pricier homes ($25K more) · 5 min longer commute · newer homes
Ionia, IA 50645 83%377$64,408$114,600— pricier homes ($25K more) · smaller · older residents

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.