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 Clifton, ID 83228

Clifton: median income $73,750, home value $292,300, $192/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Krakow, WI 54137 91%1,198$85,714$240,600$238 cheaper homes ($52K less)
East Leroy, MI 49051 90%1,364$74,886$259,500$187 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Dakota, MN 55925 90%1,044$92,500$282,200— Very close on everything we compare
Abbott, TX 76621 90%1,086$81,932$241,300$201 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Sciota, PA 18354 89%1,883$85,588$252,600$157 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Lake Hamilton, FL 33851 89%1,961$62,284$236,400— cheaper homes ($56K less)
Conklin, MI 49403 89%1,324$85,000$279,600$207 larger
Jones, MI 49061 88%1,337$79,229$223,500$161 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger
Strum, WI 54770 88%1,045$83,636$226,500$189 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger
Claremont, MN 55924 88%965$78,558$243,500$194 cheaper homes ($49K less) · older homes
Ovalo, TX 79541 88%964$71,032$271,400$219 Very close on everything we compare
Mount Clare, WV 26408 87%1,664$72,819$227,400$175 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger
Chippewa Lake, OH 44215 87%1,548$80,893$222,900$199 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger
Sterling, OH 44276 87%1,554$86,583$231,300$152 cheaper homes ($61K less) · larger
Ellsworth, MI 49729 87%1,345$77,870$243,200$244 cheaper homes ($49K less) · older residents
Highland, WI 53543 87%1,098$77,031$236,700$184 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger · older residents
Edgerton, KS 66021 87%922$88,125$242,300$219 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger
Palmyra, NE 68418 87%813$86,065$203,400$225 cheaper homes ($89K less)
Lawtons, NY 14091 86%1,677$82,833$236,200— cheaper homes ($56K less)
Sherwood, OH 43556 86%1,410$73,125$195,900$138 cheaper homes ($96K less)
Wonewoc, WI 53968 86%1,102$74,479$207,600$198 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger
Rockland, WI 54653 86%1,067$72,596$264,200$240 cheaper homes ($28K less) · newer homes
Fountain, MN 55935 86%1,007$85,000$246,800$153 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Rose Creek, MN 55970 86%972$85,000$211,900$161 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Evansville, MN 56326 86%848$85,625$244,300$231 cheaper homes ($48K 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.