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 Ainsworth, NE 69210

Ainsworth: median income $56,625, home value $123,300, 12-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lemmon, SD 57638 95%260$58,533$101,100$79 Very close on everything we compare
Clarion, IA 50525 94%312$67,250$128,800$98 Very close on everything we compare
Pocahontas, IA 50574 93%264$60,469$110,300$83 Very close on everything we compare
Cooperstown, ND 58425 93%350$59,773$122,500— smaller
Phillipsburg, KS 67661 93%194$60,925$98,400$72 Very close on everything we compare
Atwood, KS 67730 93%199$66,250$120,100— Very close on everything we compare
Sharon Springs, KS 67758 93%271$58,500$109,700$78 smaller
Sac City, IA 50583 92%249$62,981$144,700$74 Very close on everything we compare
Painter, VA 23420 91%1,312$52,831$158,400$214 pricier homes ($35K more)
Harvey, ND 58341 91%357$61,641$139,000$246 younger residents
Falls Creek, PA 15840 90%1,085$57,344$123,100$123 younger residents
Wheaton, MN 56296 90%281$53,527$103,800$73 Very close on everything we compare
Winner, SD 57580 90%55$59,547$133,900$94 larger · younger residents
Hettinger, ND 58639 90%283$63,636$116,500$52 younger residents
Milan, MO 63556 90%385$58,851$124,100$107 Very close on everything we compare
Smith Center, KS 66967 90%197$56,726$100,400— Very close on everything we compare
Emmetsburg, IA 50536 89%265$59,261$122,000$112 larger
Ida Grove, IA 51445 89%225$64,688$114,800$96 younger residents · older homes
Britton, SD 57430 89%249$70,484$149,200$31 pricier homes ($26K more)
Gregory, SD 57533 89%53$58,500$122,400$227 younger residents
Plentywood, MT 59254 89%487$68,750$164,400$109 pricier homes ($41K more)
Brookfield, MO 64628 89%401$59,361$123,500$110 larger
Ellinwood, KS 67526 89%297$57,824$123,400$77 younger residents · older homes
Hill City, KS 67642 89%220$49,896$98,500$65 younger residents
Jetmore, KS 67854 89%309$57,104$97,400$95 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller

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.