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 Ephraim, UT 84627

Ephraim: median income $72,875, home value $427,800, $162/sq ft, 15-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sugar City, ID 83448 80%310$76,000$381,900$234 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Wilmore, KY 40390 75%1,451$73,767$245,900$186 cheaper homes ($182K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Lincoln, NE 68528 75%789$75,740$253,800$166 cheaper homes ($174K less) · older residents · more walkable
Winona Lake, IN 46590 73%1,358$82,188$274,500$152 cheaper homes ($153K less) · older residents · older homes
Brookings, SD 57006 72%833$66,337$273,900$155 cheaper homes ($154K less) · larger · older residents
Weatherford, OK 73096 72%754$59,138$248,600$134 cheaper homes ($179K less) · larger · older residents
Millersville, PA 17551 71%1,861$68,661$287,900$190 cheaper homes ($140K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Fort Pierce, FL 34981 71%1,968$71,136$373,000$189 cheaper homes ($55K less) · older residents · 8 min longer commute
Ellensburg, WA 98926 71%693$71,137$470,300$264 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger · older residents
Plymouth, NH 03264 70%2,065$76,892$288,800$226 cheaper homes ($139K less) · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Allendale, MI 49401 70%1,352$74,880$321,500$217 cheaper homes ($106K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Whitewater, WI 53190 70%1,209$66,069$265,100$222 cheaper homes ($163K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Stephenville, TX 76401 70%895$61,210$270,000$200 cheaper homes ($158K less) · larger · older residents
Kutztown, PA 19530 69%1,885$71,554$292,500$184 cheaper homes ($135K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Saint Cloud, MN 56301 69%982$73,142$288,600$149 cheaper homes ($139K less) · larger
Beaufort, SC 29902 68%1,786$69,752$349,100$266 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger · older residents
Menomonie, WI 54751 68%1,074$72,028$253,000$168 cheaper homes ($175K less) · larger · older residents
Morris, MN 56267 68%905$74,442$236,800$133 cheaper homes ($191K less) · older residents · older homes
Volga, SD 57071 68%827$77,138$246,000— cheaper homes ($182K less) · smaller · older residents
Warrensburg, MO 64093 68%957$61,094$236,300$155 cheaper homes ($192K less) · larger · older residents
Kearney, NE 68845 68%665$76,978$282,000$147 cheaper homes ($146K less) · larger · older residents
Bryan, TX 77807 68%1,042$74,375$278,600$181 cheaper homes ($149K less) · larger · older residents
Laramie, WY 82070 68%336$69,095$338,500$216 cheaper homes ($89K less) · larger · older residents
Cheney, WA 99004 68%637$67,337$420,500$233 larger · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Bridgewater, VA 22812 67%1,745$85,941$366,900$206 cheaper homes ($61K less) · larger · older 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.