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 Walnut Shade, MO 65771

Walnut Shade: median income $95,398, home value $397,400, $135/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Blue Mounds, WI 53517 87%466$84,722$445,000$193 pricier homes ($48K more) · older homes
Mount Ulla, NC 28125 83%700$85,739$360,700$183 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger · more homeowners
Ventress, LA 70783 83%433$103,583$386,100$170 larger
Horse Shoe, NC 28742 82%603$99,007$414,600$237 larger · older homes
Ixonia, WI 53036 82%504$92,674$352,300$200 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
Taylor, AZ 85939 81%960$90,496$308,900$146 cheaper homes ($89K less) · larger
Hickman, TN 38567 80%409$100,368$340,500— cheaper homes ($57K less) · more single-family homes
Monmouth, ME 04259 79%1,317$83,919$298,300$208 cheaper homes ($99K less) · larger · older homes
Colfax, NC 27235 79%735$101,173$304,000$172 cheaper homes ($93K less) · larger · older residents
Crooks, SD 57020 79%513$101,500$320,400$169 cheaper homes ($77K less) · more single-family homes
Killdeer, ND 58640 79%882$100,688$343,700$142 cheaper homes ($54K less) · younger residents · older homes
Washington, OK 73093 79%264$96,719$315,300$184 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger · younger residents
Oklahoma City, OK 73150 79%248$92,318$313,500$164 cheaper homes ($84K less) · larger · older homes
Alvord, TX 76225 79%345$84,336$305,800$167 cheaper homes ($92K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
San Antonio, TX 78263 79%591$80,156$331,900$125 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger · older residents
Utopia, TX 78884 79%616$84,271$286,900— cheaper homes ($111K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Woodsboro, MD 21798 78%884$116,607$498,400$198 pricier homes ($101K more) · larger
Pacific Junction, IA 51561 78%325$113,421$388,800$139 9 min shorter commute
Johnson Creek, WI 53038 78%495$96,127$327,400$184 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger · younger residents
Fall River, WI 53932 78%508$85,781$309,400$162 cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger · younger residents
New Franken, WI 54229 78%607$97,135$300,100$205 cheaper homes ($97K less) · larger
Rockford, MN 55373 78%575$105,556$363,900$190 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger · younger residents
Montrose, SD 57048 78%523$84,081$348,000$172 cheaper homes ($49K less) · more single-family homes
Louisburg, KS 66053 78%150$89,096$326,200$176 cheaper homes ($71K less) · larger
Topeka, KS 66615 78%211$107,656$290,700$146 cheaper homes ($107K less) · larger · 10 min shorter 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.