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 Stratton, CO 80836

Stratton: median income $65,208, home value $217,800, $131/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Melbourne, IA 50162 96%530$71,417$176,600$135 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Hoffman, MN 56339 94%567$60,893$221,500$171 Very close on everything we compare
Elma, IA 50628 92%596$68,750$153,500— cheaper homes ($64K less)
La Farge, WI 54639 92%686$61,375$209,700$130 larger
Kellogg, IA 50135 91%535$65,250$165,200$157 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger
Livingston, WI 53554 91%679$74,063$175,000$124 cheaper homes ($43K less) · more homeowners
Blair, WI 54616 91%679$72,222$180,900$146 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger
Rossville, KS 66533 91%356$62,237$195,100$146 Very close on everything we compare
Arnold, NE 69120 91%196$69,886$158,200— cheaper homes ($60K less)
Smithton, PA 15479 90%1,213$63,852$202,700$204 larger
Farmland, IN 47340 90%929$63,205$175,200$139 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger
Oakland, IA 51560 90%405$75,481$177,100$123 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger
Raymond, MN 56282 90%546$69,896$201,400$110 7 min shorter commute
Plankinton, SD 57368 90%373$74,688$202,700$134 Very close on everything we compare
Ponca, NE 68770 90%381$71,607$199,400$143 Very close on everything we compare
Blue Hill, NE 68930 90%232$65,875$184,000$135 cheaper homes ($34K less) · older residents
Liberty, PA 16930 89%1,344$71,111$197,800— Very close on everything we compare
Gadsden, TN 38337 89%783$63,575$187,100$149 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Lyons, OH 43533 89%986$64,342$169,800$136 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger · younger residents
Malinta, OH 43535 89%985$67,083$172,100$141 cheaper homes ($46K less) · more homeowners
Cambria, WI 53923 89%757$72,500$220,700$184 larger
Ethan, SD 57334 89%378$62,167$206,500— younger residents
Pearl City, IL 61062 89%697$66,667$196,900$93 larger
Ravenwood, MO 64479 89%426$61,184$150,700— cheaper homes ($67K less)
La Monte, MO 65337 89%493$71,500$169,000$119 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger

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.