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 Benkelman, NE 69021

Benkelman: median income $54,375, home value $156,900, $687/sq ft, 11-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Scobey, MT 59263 89%630$53,875$190,600— pricier homes ($34K more) · older residents
Cooperstown, ND 58425 87%535$59,773$122,500— cheaper homes ($34K less)
Smith Center, KS 66967 87%147$56,726$100,400— cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger
Saint Francis, KS 67756 87%35$54,868$129,600— cheaper homes ($27K less) · older residents
Marysville, KS 66508 85%260$55,636$135,400— larger · younger residents
Kimball, SD 57355 83%285$63,125$144,200— 5 min longer commute · newer homes
Eads, CO 81036 83%127$59,868$173,300— older residents · newer homes
Atwood, KS 67730 82%34$66,250$120,100— cheaper homes ($37K less) · newer homes
Osborne, KS 67473 81%158$64,531$88,000— cheaper homes ($69K less)
Sutherland, IA 51058 79%371$63,036$133,000— 9 min longer commute
Beloit, KS 67420 78%187$62,938$144,200— larger · newer homes
Norton, KS 67654 78%89$54,418$101,200— cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger · younger residents
Dighton, KS 67839 78%126$54,028$145,200— more homeowners
Conyngham, PA 18219 76%1,334$52,566$236,200— pricier homes ($79K more) · 5 min longer commute · more renters
Napoleon, ND 58561 76%450$61,688$100,300— cheaper homes ($57K less) · newer homes
Ellsworth, KS 67439 76%201$73,409$158,300— larger · newer homes
Oberlin, KS 67749 76%56$54,000$90,100— cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Lake City, IA 51449 75%383$75,329$115,800— cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Malta, MT 59538 75%651$57,097$191,800— pricier homes ($35K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Meade, KS 67864 75%205$75,929$135,700— 7 min longer commute
Exira, IA 50076 74%364$55,313$114,100— cheaper homes ($43K less) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Lenox, IA 50851 73%370$70,926$121,000— cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · younger residents
Oakley, KS 67748 73%77$78,083$137,100— larger · 5 min longer commute
Laverne, OK 73848 73%251$57,619$124,200— cheaper homes ($33K less) · 11 min longer commute · newer homes
Silver Springs, NY 14550 72%1,225$52,321$111,000$428 cheaper homes ($46K less) · younger residents · 9 min longer commute

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.