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.

Reset

Towns most like Mead, NE 68041

Mead: median income $74,000, home value $251,300, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Adair, IA 50002 96%98$79,071$237,700$139 Very close on everything we compare
Hagaman, NY 12086 95%1,148$78,155$230,800$285 larger
Fort Atkinson, IA 52144 95%269$84,609$217,500$101 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Rockwell, IA 50469 94%208$71,250$211,700$97 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger
Lake Park, IA 51347 94%164$82,750$201,600$157 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Marcus, IA 51035 93%115$79,338$209,700$109 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
Harmony, MN 55939 93%279$70,855$198,800$120 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger
Alden, MN 56009 93%223$80,804$203,700$108 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger
Hanska, MN 56041 93%226$80,833$197,700$151 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Grace, ID 83241 93%788$71,298$215,200$182 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger
Glidden, IA 51443 92%108$78,906$191,000$139 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger
Stanley, NY 14561 91%998$77,857$195,700$152 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger
Lucinda, PA 16235 91%888$77,798$209,000$32 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Rose Creek, MN 55970 91%248$85,000$211,900$161 cheaper homes ($39K less) · 6 min longer commute
Cedarville, NJ 08311 90%1,127$86,324$247,600$137 larger
New Berlin, PA 17855 90%1,015$88,929$216,700$151 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Pleasant Hill, OH 45359 90%642$77,083$208,700$140 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger
New Ross, IN 47968 90%518$83,242$213,400$230 cheaper homes ($38K less)
South Wayne, WI 53587 90%352$90,250$203,900$100 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Fulda, MN 56131 90%188$73,063$180,100$99 cheaper homes ($71K less) · larger
Sherburn, MN 56171 90%190$72,554$169,800$122 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger
Brooten, MN 56316 90%302$71,111$218,000$107 cheaper homes ($33K less) · 6 min longer commute
Durhamville, NY 13054 89%1,071$94,100$227,500$96 Very close on everything we compare
Kingsley, IA 51028 89%99$78,000$219,600$202 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger
Jim Falls, WI 54748 89%375$78,750$235,100$161 newer homes

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.