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 Shell Knob, MO 65747

Shell Knob: median income $55,060, home value $289,900, $250/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Kooskia, ID 83539 93%1,324$57,885$347,500$260 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller
Raphine, VA 24472 90%796$51,429$251,000$268 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Ridgeway, SC 29130 89%731$63,963$265,500$273 larger · 5 min longer commute
Holcombe, WI 54745 89%611$67,891$255,200$252 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller
Mcgregor, MN 55760 89%690$59,474$274,600$276 Very close on everything we compare
Bigfork, MN 56628 89%769$61,250$244,700$189 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
Lakeside, OR 97449 89%1,673$66,000$316,700$272 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Chiloquin, OR 97624 89%1,545$48,628$233,000$248 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Hiawassee, GA 30546 88%567$59,234$295,000$248 larger
Morganton, GA 30560 88%541$66,016$321,300$271 pricier homes ($31K more)
Webster, WI 54893 88%643$56,129$234,200$220 cheaper homes ($56K less) · younger residents
Eureka Springs, AR 72631 88%15$56,678$259,300$169 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Yantis, TX 75497 88%277$56,205$212,800$212 cheaper homes ($77K less) · 6 min longer commute
Minong, WI 54859 87%662$55,882$225,300$336 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller
Trego, WI 54888 87%651$63,971$240,500$249 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller
Backus, MN 56435 87%710$62,381$256,800$273 cheaper homes ($33K less) · younger residents
Mountain, WI 54149 86%651$50,250$207,500$245 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller
Siren, WI 54872 86%637$60,787$233,200$258 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller · older homes
Valley, WA 99181 86%1,457$63,661$267,600$218 smaller
Fryeburg, ME 04037 85%1,293$54,414$278,200$260 younger residents
Crossville, TN 38572 85%476$56,609$223,900$230 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger · younger residents
Whitehall, MT 59759 85%1,150$60,571$353,900$335 pricier homes ($64K more)
Austin, CO 81410 85%798$67,826$366,700$213 pricier homes ($77K more) · smaller
Hilbert, WI 54129 84%592$67,381$279,700$208 younger residents
Danbury, WI 54830 84%650$66,941$267,400$229 8 min longer commute

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.