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 Tonganoxie, KS 66086

Tonganoxie: median income $98,318, home value $325,900, $212/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Whitmore Lake, MI 48189 95%635$87,145$313,400$217 Very close on everything we compare
Smithville, MO 64089 95%35$101,009$327,200$196 Very close on everything we compare
Berwick, ME 03901 94%1,289$94,771$369,100$261 pricier homes ($43K more)
Gordonsville, VA 22942 94%914$87,826$333,600$222 older residents
Johnstown, OH 43031 94%664$110,930$389,900$224 pricier homes ($64K more)
Danville, IN 46122 94%459$99,531$304,900$165 larger
Bullard, TX 75757 94%483$91,165$275,500$197 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Douglassville, PA 19518 93%1,031$114,181$354,700$210 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger
Carthage, NC 28327 93%902$87,434$322,000$194 larger
Delano, MN 55328 93%415$114,158$409,800$197 pricier homes ($84K more)
Benton, LA 71006 93%450$94,266$325,900$165 larger
Oxford, PA 19363 92%1,020$107,067$370,200$217 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger
Chester, VA 23836 92%970$100,921$356,400$192 pricier homes ($31K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Midland, NC 28107 92%844$105,122$385,500$191 pricier homes ($60K more)
Winterville, GA 30683 92%745$88,198$273,600$196 cheaper homes ($52K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Orlando, FL 32833 92%1,086$98,733$427,900$237 pricier homes ($102K more)
Fairview, TN 37062 92%487$91,750$379,600$247 pricier homes ($54K more)
Howell, MI 48855 92%634$108,442$344,600$192 larger
New Richmond, WI 54017 92%436$98,571$321,700$211 larger
Island Lake, IL 60042 92%423$99,917$259,100$205 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Pleasant Hill, MO 64080 92%51$104,311$320,600$187 Very close on everything we compare
Jones, OK 73049 92%272$94,891$261,500$221 cheaper homes ($64K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Fairbanks, AK 99712 92%2,727$112,808$320,100$223 Very close on everything we compare
Gray, ME 04039 91%1,318$95,125$357,500$270 pricier homes ($32K more)
Hampstead, MD 21074 91%973$108,536$378,100$217 pricier homes ($52K more)

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.