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 Akron, CO 80720

Akron: median income $65,913, home value $219,100, $96/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Marion, SD 57043 95%379$64,375$221,500$81 Very close on everything we compare
Rockwell, IA 50469 94%552$71,250$211,700$97 Very close on everything we compare
Sanborn, IA 51248 93%442$64,375$172,800$108 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Slayton, MN 56172 93%464$71,875$187,300$96 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Stanton, NE 68779 93%335$78,594$203,300$106 Very close on everything we compare
Reinbeck, IA 50669 92%571$81,650$183,000$87 cheaper homes ($36K less)
West Union, IA 52175 92%619$59,800$160,600$88 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger
Onaga, KS 66521 92%377$61,250$193,000$75 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Marcus, IA 51035 91%425$79,338$209,700$109 Very close on everything we compare
Avoca, IA 51521 91%421$73,769$202,800$73 Very close on everything we compare
Fulda, MN 56131 91%467$73,063$180,100$99 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Lakota, ND 58344 91%590$66,957$159,000$91 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller
Council Grove, KS 66846 91%371$61,842$154,100$109 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Osceola, NE 68651 91%305$78,487$191,300$99 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Tilden, NE 68781 91%309$67,212$171,700— cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller
Mitchell, NE 69357 91%126$70,104$182,400$118 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger
Catawissa, PA 17820 90%1,402$67,685$214,800$113 larger
Traer, IA 50675 90%575$75,938$156,900$110 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Akron, IA 51001 90%392$75,404$192,700$119 cheaper homes ($26K less)
George, IA 51237 90%432$61,667$159,500$89 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Harmony, MN 55939 90%622$70,855$198,800$120 Very close on everything we compare
Blue Earth, MN 56013 90%527$71,553$176,900$103 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Springfield, MN 56087 90%506$64,375$142,600$92 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Canby, MN 56220 90%473$61,414$174,500$80 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Raymond, MN 56282 90%526$69,896$201,400$110 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.