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 Crowell, TX 79227

Crowell: median income $62,188, home value $69,700, $41/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mount Gay, WV 25637 89%1,023$51,926$77,000— newer homes
Blue Rapids, KS 66411 89%428$57,361$85,900— younger residents
Buffalo Center, IA 50424 87%718$59,091$114,500$48 pricier homes ($45K more)
Arapahoe, NE 68922 86%436$57,426$107,900— pricier homes ($38K more)
Palestine, IL 62451 84%754$63,665$89,600$30 larger · younger residents
Osborne, KS 67473 84%379$64,531$88,000— larger · younger residents
Oberlin, KS 67749 84%406$54,000$90,100— larger
Sheffield, PA 16347 83%1,243$58,125$79,100$39 younger residents
Washington, KS 66968 83%429$59,438$124,900$49 pricier homes ($55K more)
Sedan, KS 67361 83%294$53,917$64,400— larger · younger residents
Plainville, KS 67663 83%363$61,576$85,200$53 larger · younger residents
Stephens, AR 71764 83%385$62,308$68,300— larger
Fairfax, MO 64446 82%498$56,949$101,800— pricier homes ($32K more) · younger residents
Fredonia, KS 66736 82%332$62,443$93,200$58 larger · younger residents
Red Cloud, NE 68970 81%427$58,523$95,000$55 pricier homes ($25K more) · older homes
Cooperstown, ND 58425 80%934$59,773$122,500— pricier homes ($53K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Oblong, IL 62449 80%741$59,555$98,800— pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · younger residents
Winchester, IL 62694 80%642$58,460$102,200$59 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Springer, NM 87747 80%322$55,948$119,500$27 pricier homes ($50K more) · larger
Mott, ND 58646 79%866$56,667$92,800$58 younger residents
Enfield, IL 62835 79%695$49,628$103,600$35 pricier homes ($34K more)
Yates Center, KS 66783 79%349$48,068$91,400$60 larger
Eldred, PA 16731 78%1,280$61,991$107,500$42 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Lake City, IA 51449 78%632$75,329$115,800— pricier homes ($46K more) · larger
Buhl, MN 55713 78%1,000$59,036$129,300$49 pricier homes ($60K more) · younger residents

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.