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 Oberlin, KS 67749

Oberlin: median income $54,000, home value $90,100, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Audubon, IA 50025 93%322$52,438$118,100$97 pricier homes ($28K more)
Rushville, NE 69360 93%225$52,402$116,000— pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller
Pocahontas, IA 50574 91%364$60,469$110,300$83 Very close on everything we compare
Falls City, NE 68355 91%262$56,607$108,800$58 larger · younger residents
Arapahoe, NE 68922 91%47$57,426$107,900— smaller
Bessemer, MI 49911 90%699$57,000$106,300$87 Very close on everything we compare
Buffalo Center, IA 50424 89%419$59,091$114,500$48 smaller
Corning, IA 50841 89%315$66,875$116,700$95 pricier homes ($27K more)
Gordon, NE 69343 89%223$59,741$116,700— pricier homes ($27K more) · younger residents
Tarkio, MO 64491 88%275$57,500$91,300$126 5 min longer commute
Iron River, MI 49935 87%739$57,236$111,500$139 larger
Ivanhoe, MN 56142 87%388$57,500$120,500$63 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller
Tyndall, SD 57066 87%259$56,389$112,000$119 smaller · more homeowners
Mott, ND 58646 87%461$56,667$92,800$58 smaller · younger residents
Pittsfield, IL 62363 87%517$58,500$118,000$86 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger
Hebron, NE 68370 87%157$67,000$125,300$169 pricier homes ($35K more)
Superior, NE 68978 87%131$65,764$83,700$72 Very close on everything we compare
Ainsworth, NE 69210 87%191$56,625$123,300— pricier homes ($33K more)
Laverne, OK 73848 87%218$57,619$124,200— pricier homes ($34K more)
Bedford, IA 50833 86%311$61,042$112,900$69 Very close on everything we compare
Holstein, IA 51025 86%317$65,543$119,200$79 pricier homes ($29K more) · younger residents
Hurley, WI 54534 86%692$53,468$123,600$121 pricier homes ($34K more)
Appleton, MN 56208 86%437$59,766$102,800$114 5 min longer commute
Rock Port, MO 64482 86%268$66,534$120,000$97 pricier homes ($30K more)
Seymour, TX 76380 86%437$45,880$103,100$115 larger

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.