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 Sharon Springs, KS 67758

Sharon Springs: median income $58,500, home value $109,700, $78/sq ft, 14-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pocahontas, IA 50574 96%455$60,469$110,300$83 larger
Wheaton, MN 56296 94%548$53,527$103,800$73 larger
Lemmon, SD 57638 94%486$58,533$101,100$79 larger
Cooperstown, ND 58425 94%619$59,773$122,500— Very close on everything we compare
Ainsworth, NE 69210 93%271$56,625$123,300— larger
Kimball, SD 57355 92%366$63,125$144,200— pricier homes ($35K more)
Mott, ND 58646 92%518$56,667$92,800$58 younger residents
Neligh, NE 68756 91%298$61,667$158,300$89 pricier homes ($49K more) · larger
Arapahoe, NE 68922 91%139$57,426$107,900— older homes
Ivanhoe, MN 56142 90%478$57,500$120,500$63 6 min longer commute
Edgeley, ND 58433 90%539$70,375$116,400$89 older residents
Napoleon, ND 58561 90%535$61,688$100,300— younger residents
Rock Port, MO 64482 90%347$66,534$120,000$97 larger
Kimball, NE 69145 90%191$58,846$112,400$92 larger
Lockney, TX 79241 90%328$61,803$85,700$75 larger
Bessemer, MI 49911 89%791$57,000$106,300$87 larger · older homes
Ida Grove, IA 51445 89%407$64,688$114,800$96 larger
Elgin, IA 52141 89%597$64,647$115,500$99 Very close on everything we compare
Buhl, MN 55713 89%746$59,036$129,300$49 Very close on everything we compare
Wellington, TX 79095 89%290$58,889$103,600$72 larger · younger residents
Elkton, MI 48731 88%1,019$53,021$115,500$106 Very close on everything we compare
Corydon, IA 50060 88%465$63,438$117,300$106 larger
Holstein, IA 51025 88%408$65,543$119,200$79 larger
Clark, SD 57225 88%463$66,875$155,100$77 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger
Bassett, NE 68714 88%280$52,031$132,500— more renters

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.