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 Saint Francis, KS 67756

Saint Francis: median income $54,868, home value $129,600, 13-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Kimball, NE 69145 94%141$58,846$112,400$92 Very close on everything we compare
Hurley, WI 54534 91%752$53,468$123,600$121 6 min longer commute
Scobey, MT 59263 91%652$53,875$190,600— pricier homes ($61K more)
Arapahoe, NE 68922 91%115$57,426$107,900— Very close on everything we compare
Madison, MN 56256 89%470$65,521$124,200$119 Very close on everything we compare
Tyndall, SD 57066 89%310$56,389$112,000$119 6 min longer commute
Cooperstown, ND 58425 89%569$59,773$122,500— Very close on everything we compare
Franklin, NE 68939 89%160$54,083$90,000$110 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller
Nedrow, NY 13120 87%1,350$55,682$112,700$157 6 min longer commute
Exira, IA 50076 87%392$55,313$114,100— older homes
Benkelman, NE 69021 87%35$54,375$156,900$687 pricier homes ($27K more) · younger residents
Ainsworth, NE 69210 87%225$56,625$123,300— newer homes
Eads, CO 81036 87%92$59,868$173,300— pricier homes ($44K more) · smaller
Condon, OR 97823 87%1,005$57,727$150,500$72 smaller · older residents
Elizabethtown, NY 12932 86%1,480$56,771$183,900$255 pricier homes ($54K more)
Walton, IN 46994 86%827$56,563$136,200$102 8 min longer commute
Buffalo Center, IA 50424 86%485$59,091$114,500$48 5 min longer commute
Sac City, IA 50583 86%408$62,981$144,700$74 Very close on everything we compare
Iron River, MI 49935 85%803$57,236$111,500$139 larger · 5 min longer commute
Pocahontas, IA 50574 85%431$60,469$110,300$83 younger residents
Buhl, MN 55713 85%707$59,036$129,300$49 smaller · younger residents
Bessemer, MI 49911 84%759$57,000$106,300$87 larger · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Armstrong, IA 50514 84%462$73,000$137,100$63 smaller
Elgin, IA 52141 84%578$64,647$115,500$99 6 min longer commute
Hebron, NE 68370 84%231$67,000$125,300$169 Very close on everything we compare

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.