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 Loup City, NE 68853

Loup City: median income $54,674, home value $135,000, $159/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Great Bend, PA 18821 92%1,197$52,857$171,800$156 pricier homes ($37K more)
Seneca, PA 16346 89%999$59,718$153,700$136 larger · 5 min longer commute
Mc Gregor, IA 52157 89%416$52,625$193,500$130 pricier homes ($59K more)
New Rockford, ND 58356 89%444$51,042$123,500— Very close on everything we compare
Natural Bridge Station, VA 24579 88%1,066$45,944$165,600$120 pricier homes ($31K more)
Pineville, WV 24874 88%963$54,596$96,600— cheaper homes ($38K less) · younger residents
Afton, NY 13730 87%1,206$53,348$138,500$136 larger · 6 min longer commute
Winona, MO 65588 87%505$44,500$155,900$158 larger
Cartwright, OK 74731 87%529$54,286$158,000$180 newer homes
Santa Clara, NM 88026 87%775$57,898$141,500— Very close on everything we compare
East Freedom, PA 16637 86%1,073$56,083$120,400$164 larger · older residents · more homeowners
Rising Star, TX 76471 86%633$54,773$141,700$142 more single-family homes · older homes
Eads, CO 81036 86%273$59,868$173,300— pricier homes ($38K more) · more single-family homes
North Clarendon, VT 05759 85%1,331$58,150$209,100$199 pricier homes ($74K more)
Stamford, NY 12167 85%1,252$53,047$193,100$120 pricier homes ($58K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Warrensburg, NY 12885 85%1,289$59,429$169,800$169 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger
Strattanville, PA 16258 85%1,020$55,188$183,800— pricier homes ($49K more) · 6 min longer commute
Melfa, VA 23410 85%1,260$54,050$195,100$193 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger · younger residents
Russells Point, OH 43348 85%789$51,426$173,000$217 pricier homes ($38K more)
Park River, ND 58270 85%496$69,811$164,200$129 pricier homes ($29K more)
Hawthorne, NV 89415 85%1,057$57,083$172,600$141 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger · younger residents
Dexter, ME 04930 84%1,510$54,137$168,600$136 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Fairchance, PA 15436 84%1,012$62,917$156,200$176 9 min longer commute
Falls Creek, PA 15840 84%1,046$57,344$123,100$123 younger residents
Painter, VA 23420 84%1,259$52,831$158,400$214 larger · more single-family 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.