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 Pleasant Plains, IL 62677

Pleasant Plains: median income $102,917, home value $212,500, $128/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hope, MI 48628 94%395$93,854$215,600$135 Very close on everything we compare
Sharpsville, IN 46068 93%202$98,708$189,700$154 Very close on everything we compare
Russell, PA 16345 92%579$95,192$186,400$137 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger
Duncan Falls, OH 43734 92%422$113,000$226,200$179 Very close on everything we compare
Treynor, IA 51575 92%316$112,115$304,500$128 pricier homes ($92K more)
Princeton, IA 52768 91%131$112,563$291,100$151 pricier homes ($79K more) · smaller
Kenesaw, NE 68956 91%467$94,231$203,700$123 smaller · older homes
Hookstown, PA 15050 90%500$91,406$209,800$134 Very close on everything we compare
Somerville, OH 45064 90%280$102,531$240,200$152 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger
Fairbank, IA 50629 90%223$103,106$207,100$126 Very close on everything we compare
Adams, MN 55909 90%297$96,736$213,200$122 smaller
Fabius, NY 13063 89%749$84,063$230,200$161 Very close on everything we compare
Darien Center, NY 14040 89%631$88,779$210,100$141 Very close on everything we compare
Hemlock, NY 14466 89%669$108,085$213,500$164 older homes
Elysburg, PA 17824 89%704$118,176$244,900$173 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Tornado, WV 25202 89%442$96,328$198,600$122 younger residents
Battle Ground, IN 47920 89%168$90,441$276,300$151 pricier homes ($64K more) · younger residents
Hemlock, MI 48626 89%382$84,360$224,100$127 larger
Blue Grass, IA 52726 89%125$104,250$276,100$168 pricier homes ($64K more) · larger
Cadyville, NY 12918 88%892$91,951$206,700$146 younger residents
Sugarloaf, PA 18249 88%729$97,593$298,400$152 pricier homes ($86K more) · larger
Mulliken, MI 48861 88%327$89,412$184,600$157 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Amherst Junction, WI 54407 88%324$101,563$323,900$139 pricier homes ($111K more) · smaller
Britt, MN 55710 88%558$86,477$280,400$170 pricier homes ($68K more) · smaller
Overbrook, KS 66524 88%313$84,375$173,100$142 cheaper homes ($39K less)

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.