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 Ness City, KS 67560

Ness City: median income $68,654, home value $121,700, $93/sq ft, 14-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Rock Port, MO 64482 97%271$66,534$120,000$97 Very close on everything we compare
Holstein, IA 51025 95%361$65,543$119,200$79 Very close on everything we compare
Cambridge, NE 69022 95%128$64,719$152,400— pricier homes ($31K more)
Hemingford, NE 69348 95%316$76,719$133,600— Very close on everything we compare
Pocahontas, IA 50574 93%404$60,469$110,300$83 larger
Lamberton, MN 56152 93%467$75,536$129,900$90 Very close on everything we compare
Ada, MN 56510 93%636$70,000$145,700$82 larger
Norway, MI 49870 92%796$75,179$121,100$94 larger
Britt, IA 50423 92%454$73,151$118,900$89 larger · older residents
Napoleon, ND 58561 92%556$61,688$100,300— Very close on everything we compare
Neligh, NE 68756 92%274$61,667$158,300$89 pricier homes ($37K more)
Kimball, SD 57355 91%370$63,125$144,200— Very close on everything we compare
Drayton, ND 58225 91%715$74,250$121,000— Very close on everything we compare
Alma, NE 68920 91%120$80,938$166,700— pricier homes ($45K more)
Buffalo, OK 73834 91%111$72,500$91,900$88 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Alden, IA 50006 90%443$69,783$121,200$101 Very close on everything we compare
Clarion, IA 50525 90%439$67,250$128,800$98 larger
Corning, IA 50841 90%326$66,875$116,700$95 larger
Ida Grove, IA 51445 90%357$64,688$114,800$96 larger
Springfield, MN 56087 90%475$64,375$142,600$92 larger · 5 min longer commute
Dawson, MN 56232 90%491$75,069$172,300$92 pricier homes ($51K more) · larger
Wabasso, MN 56293 90%477$67,396$170,500$103 pricier homes ($49K more)
Mobridge, SD 57601 90%491$66,003$154,600$91 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger
Lakota, ND 58344 90%663$66,957$159,000$91 pricier homes ($37K more) · 5 min longer commute
Cooperstown, ND 58425 90%629$59,773$122,500— older residents

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.