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 Garden Plain, KS 67050

Garden Plain: median income $86,875, home value $308,800, $170/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
West Chesterfield, NH 03466 93%1,368$83,281$343,900$207 pricier homes ($35K more)
Gower, MO 64454 91%212$87,262$260,800$151 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger
Wilson, TX 79381 90%377$97,625$228,300$179 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Westphalia, MI 48894 89%767$101,923$275,900$178 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Weston, MO 64098 87%192$92,661$317,600$186 larger · older residents
Yutan, NE 68073 87%255$112,460$263,400$148 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
Groton, VT 05046 86%1,396$84,375$259,000$202 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller · older residents
Canadensis, PA 18325 86%1,217$103,500$242,900$180 cheaper homes ($66K less) · older residents
Lexington, KY 40516 86%726$84,510$264,100$181 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger · newer homes
Barnesville, MN 56514 86%623$100,845$264,800$145 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Louisville, NE 68037 86%242$107,839$245,800$167 cheaper homes ($63K less) · older residents
Abbott, TX 76621 86%401$81,932$241,300$201 cheaper homes ($68K less) · smaller
Ovalo, TX 79541 86%401$71,032$271,400$219 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Warners, NY 13164 85%1,181$84,808$256,200$231 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Russia, OH 45363 85%733$95,268$316,900— Very close on everything we compare
Arcadia, IN 46030 85%647$90,536$246,000$179 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger
Battle Ground, IN 47920 85%613$90,441$276,300$151 cheaper homes ($33K less) · older residents
Clarksville, MI 48815 85%744$85,962$244,200$213 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Atlantic Mine, MI 49905 85%795$77,617$211,300$122 cheaper homes ($98K less)
Congerville, IL 61729 85%497$101,172$259,100— cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Bennet, NE 68317 85%217$108,056$294,100$166 older residents
Elgin, MN 55932 84%528$100,078$316,500$120 Very close on everything we compare
Humboldt, SD 57035 84%411$99,565$326,500— Very close on everything we compare
Kindred, ND 58051 84%621$107,396$331,100$241 Very close on everything we compare
Westphalia, MO 65085 84%310$103,563$290,600$244 smaller

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.