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 La Crosse, KS 67548

La Crosse: median income $55,313, home value $85,000, $97/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pocahontas, IA 50574 92%378$60,469$110,300$83 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger
Arapahoe, NE 68922 92%126$57,426$107,900— Very close on everything we compare
Rushville, NE 69360 92%334$52,402$116,000— pricier homes ($31K more)
Culbertson, NE 69024 91%143$52,337$106,900— younger residents
Audubon, IA 50025 90%320$52,438$118,100$97 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger
Gordon, NE 69343 89%332$59,741$116,700— pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Bessemer, MI 49911 88%723$57,000$106,300$87 larger
Pawnee City, NE 68420 88%201$56,250$68,000$95 younger residents · more homeowners
Knox City, TX 79529 88%354$50,694$63,400$112 Very close on everything we compare
Corning, IA 50841 87%296$66,875$116,700$95 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Fairfax, MO 64446 87%244$56,949$101,800— 7 min longer commute
Elkton, MI 48731 86%913$53,021$115,500$106 pricier homes ($31K more)
Ida Grove, IA 51445 86%332$64,688$114,800$96 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger
Lemmon, SD 57638 86%531$58,533$101,100$79 more apartments and townhomes
Mott, ND 58646 86%563$56,667$92,800$58 Very close on everything we compare
Roxana, IL 62084 86%498$63,226$99,000$127 younger residents
Rock Port, MO 64482 86%241$66,534$120,000$97 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger
Tarkio, MO 64491 86%248$57,500$91,300$126 older residents · 6 min longer commute
Ainsworth, NE 69210 86%279$56,625$123,300— pricier homes ($38K more) · larger
Wellington, TX 79095 86%258$58,889$103,600$72 larger · younger residents
East Millinocket, ME 04430 85%1,639$42,011$86,200$88 Very close on everything we compare
Holstein, IA 51025 85%337$65,543$119,200$79 pricier homes ($34K more)
Westbrook, MN 56183 85%432$45,536$138,400$109 pricier homes ($53K more)
Napoleon, ND 58561 85%550$61,688$100,300— younger residents
Bassett, NE 68714 85%280$52,031$132,500— pricier homes ($48K 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.