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 Jacksonville, IL 62650

Jacksonville: median income $65,762, home value $141,300, $90/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Vincennes, IN 47591 96%163$61,803$157,400$106 Very close on everything we compare
Hannibal, MO 63401 95%61$60,036$152,100$116 Very close on everything we compare
El Dorado, KS 67042 95%380$62,857$141,300$119 Very close on everything we compare
Winfield, KS 67156 95%404$58,821$153,300$90 smaller
Mount Pleasant, IA 52641 94%110$64,512$171,400$112 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller
Ottumwa, IA 52501 93%146$63,426$122,700$121 Very close on everything we compare
Newton, KS 67114 93%400$70,018$166,300$103 pricier homes ($25K more)
Great Bend, KS 67530 93%468$58,780$137,600$99 Very close on everything we compare
Beatrice, NE 68310 93%347$60,928$168,000$118 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Malone, NY 12953 92%886$68,799$129,400$99 smaller
Beckley, WV 25801 92%504$56,836$158,900$112 Very close on everything we compare
Pascagoula, MS 39567 92%654$62,254$139,500$93 smaller
Tiffin, OH 44883 92%383$62,692$163,600$139 Very close on everything we compare
Ashland, WI 54806 92%472$64,864$185,800$112 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller
Huron, SD 57350 92%519$66,573$173,000$101 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
Sikeston, MO 63801 92%200$62,698$156,700$121 newer homes
Hastings, NE 68901 92%435$66,585$190,100$109 pricier homes ($49K more)
Kokomo, IN 46901 91%222$60,495$142,100$123 larger
Battle Creek, MI 49017 91%318$60,885$152,900$125 Very close on everything we compare
Waterloo, IA 50702 91%219$62,021$150,500$123 Very close on everything we compare
Creston, IA 50801 91%235$58,015$124,900$106 smaller
Chillicothe, MO 64601 91%176$63,061$153,900$108 smaller
Lawton, OK 73507 91%571$62,132$158,800$111 Very close on everything we compare
Big Spring, TX 79720 91%811$68,785$152,500$75 5 min longer commute
Altoona, PA 16601 90%626$58,070$147,200$88 older homes

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.