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 Hastings, NE 68901

Hastings: median income $66,585, home value $190,100, $109/sq ft, 14-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Waterloo, IA 50701 97%338$61,475$183,800$128 Very close on everything we compare
Huron, SD 57350 97%261$66,573$173,000$101 smaller
Lima, OH 45805 95%746$68,842$160,600$141 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Tiffin, OH 44883 94%795$62,692$163,600$139 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Vincennes, IN 47591 94%594$61,803$157,400$106 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Ashland, WI 54806 94%562$64,864$185,800$112 smaller
Spencer, IA 51301 93%243$63,402$188,300$122 smaller
Mount Pleasant, IA 52641 93%358$64,512$171,400$112 smaller
Wausau, WI 54403 93%541$69,030$192,600$149 Very close on everything we compare
Hannibal, MO 63401 93%375$60,036$152,100$116 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Battle Creek, MI 49015 92%692$68,821$184,300$140 5 min longer commute
Sault Sainte Marie, MI 49783 92%812$60,658$158,800$156 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Dubuque, IA 52001 92%420$61,643$178,000$136 larger
Willmar, MN 56201 92%357$68,804$216,300$132 pricier homes ($26K more) · newer homes
Miles City, MT 59301 92%548$71,332$217,900— pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Jacksonville, IL 62650 92%435$65,762$141,300$90 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Enid, OK 73703 92%291$73,333$196,300$130 newer homes
Ada, OK 74820 92%412$62,357$181,400$123 newer homes
Grinnell, IA 50112 91%305$67,078$214,900$136 smaller
Waterloo, IA 50702 91%339$62,021$150,500$123 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Marshall, MN 56258 91%298$72,731$219,600$119 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller
Moline, IL 61265 91%416$66,933$147,000$131 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger
Huntington, WV 25705 90%866$61,329$165,300$114 5 min longer commute
Evansville, IN 47712 90%602$68,494$193,600$133 6 min longer commute
Wausau, WI 54401 90%534$71,586$196,700$165 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.